Richmond police say one person charged in weekend street takeovers

Richmond police say one person charged in weekend street takeovers

A “large group of drivers” and onlookers participated in street takeovers across Richmond Saturday night and into early Sunday morning, according to city police.

On Tuesday, the Richmond Police Department said officers responded to multiple calls over the weekend for “vehicles driving recklessly and for possible random gunfire associated with a large number of motorists operating vehicles in a dangerous manner throughout the city.”

The group was traveling together, police said, and seen on “Forest Hill Avenue, Midlothian Turnpike, German School Road, Libbie and Patterson avenues and other areas in Richmond.”

Police said there was no evidence of any guns being fired, but “fireworks were observed in the areas and multiple pedestrian onlookers were in dangerous proximity to the reckless driving, some recording video on their mobile devices.”

“Thankfully there were no injuries reported,” said RPD spokesman James Mercante.

Officers stopped one vehicle and charged Tre’Vell Taylor, 20, of Hampton, with reckless driving and a window tint violation, police said.

According to WTVR, witnesses who encountered the crowd at the intersection of Libbie and Patterson reported seeing cars racing and doing donuts. They said they saw police officers in the area but law enforcement did not appear to be actively intervening.

The police asked anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers at (804) 780-1000 or use the P3 Tips Crime Stoppers smartphone app.

Contact Reporter Graham Moomaw at gmoomaw@richmonder.org