Throw the book at these wanna-be gearheads!
Street takeovers are trash attended by fake car enthusiasts, bringing out some of the worst tendencies of human behavior. At these pop-up gatherings there are shootings, drug deals, human trafficking, everything else you don’t want your kid doing. Plus, takeovers have prevented people from getting help in emergencies, like when a Dodge Charger Hellcat did donuts around a firetruck.
Learn about the city that stopped street takeovers before they ever started.
That little stunt, which was pulled back on April 2 in Orange County, Florida has finally resulted in the arrest of the Hellcat driver. According to an August 16 announcement by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, 25-year-old Elijah Grove-Thomas has been slapped with felony and misdemeanor charges. Oh, and they took his Hellcat away.
In his booking photo, Grove-Thomas sure doesn’t look happy. We don’t know if he was smiling while keeping the firetruck from possibly rendering lifesaving aid to another because this coward was wearing a mask to try hiding his identity.
Thankfully, one of the deputies recognized the Dodge Hellcat from another takeover held somewhere else in the county. That deputy could identify the unique dents, rust spots, and custom wheels on the thrashed ride, which is just oh so hilarious. Oh, and Grove-Thomas being a criminal genius apparently had a tag with a zombie’s hand on it.
We have to hand it to this guy, he made tracking him down easier than he probably realized. So many criminals are taken down by their own ego, particularly in this era where social media credibility and celebrity status is more valuable than freedom for so many. Case in point: Fox35 Orlando says investigators uncovered an Instagram account featuring the Hellcat, probably run by one of his loser takeover buddies.
Now that Grove-Thomas has been arrested and charged, here’s to hoping the prosecutor doesn’t cut him a sweetheart deal and the judge doesn’t go light. These kids need to start learning shutting down intersections for their personal playtime comes with stiff consequences.
I wonder if it ever crossed his mind, IT MIGHT BE HIS HOUSE ON FIRE?