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Suffolk Police arrested four people in recent days following investigations into illegal street takeovers and dangerous car meet activity across several communities, including Shirley, Brentwood and Selden, cops said.
The arrests — made by the county’s Street Takeover Task Force — stem from three separate incidents in late November and December in which drivers performed burnouts, fled from police at high speeds and engaged in reckless behavior that endangered the lives of motorists, pedestrians and officers, police said.
Police arrested David Alvarado Zelaya, 26, of Wyandanch on Jan. 3, charging him with unlawful speed contests, sideshows and races. Zelaya was seen performing a burnout in a 2020 Dodge Charger on Dec. 28 in a parking lot at 437 William Floyd Parkway in Shirley, authorities said.
Daniel Velasquez Chavez, 24, of North Bay Shore, was arrested Jan. 2 and charged with second-degree reckless endangerment, third-degree unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle, and unlawful speed contests, sideshows and races.
Chavez’s charges stem from a Dec. 7 incident in Brentwood, during which police tried to conduct a traffic stop, but Chavez allegedly performed a burnout and sped away in a reckless manner.
A 17-year-old Centereach man was arrested Jan. 2 and charged with unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle and reckless driving. Police said the teen fled police in a 2013 Hyundai Genesis from a parking lot at 401 Independence Plaza in Selden on Nov. 28.
Following that incident, a relative of the teen, Gerardo Benitez, 26, of Centereach reported to authorities that the Hyundai was stolen and was later charged with falsely reporting an incident, police said.
The three vehicles related to the arrests have been impounded.
Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine said the Street Takeover Task Force, former in November 2024, has played a significant role in improving public safety since its creation.
“The Street Takeover Task Force has made Suffolk County safer by taking dangerous drivers off the roads, impounding vehicles, and making our streets safer,” Romaine said, noting the unit has broken up nearly 100 street takeovers since its inception.
Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina said illegal car meets remain a serious safety concern.
“Illegal car meets put lives at risk and are an overall nuisance on our roadways,” he said. “We will continue to investigate these incidents and hold those responsible accountable while keeping our roadways safe.”
Police said the Street Takeover Task Force has broken up 92 street takeovers, issued 8,656 summonses, made 65 arrests and impounded 103 vehicles.
