Gov. Abbott Creates DPS Task Force to End Dangerous Street Takeovers

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) says he's launching a statewide task force to target the "rise in dangerous street takeovers happening across Texas."

A street takeover, or sideshow, involves a group of people blocking off intersections with vehicles and spectators and then drivers use the intersection to perform stunts, like drifting, spin-outs, donuts or other dangerous tricks.

Abbott is directing the Texas Department of Public Safety to bring an end to the takeovers described as "violent and more frequent, resulting in injuries to law enforcement officers and endangering the public."

The governor said the DPS task force would work closely with local officials and law enforcement to investigate, prosecute, and prevent takeovers.

"We must send a clear message that these reckless, coordinated criminal events will not be tolerated in Texas," Abbott said in a statement.

Earlier this week, Grapevine Police said they arrested a 22-year-old man they said was the "ringleader" of a New Year's Eve street stunt takeover along the city's Main Street entertainment district. At one point an onlooker ignited fireworks in the intersection, which sparked a small fire in the grass next to a restaurant.

In January, Fort Worth Police said a fatal car crash that killed two people and injured two others was tied to an intersection takeover near West 7th Street and White Settlement Road when the driver sped away with his lights off before crashing and flipping over.

Mike Mata, President of the Dallas Police Association, said he applauds the Governor's actions. The Dallas Police Department already formed a speeding and racing task force team after seeing an uptick in recent years.

“They think they are in control of that vehicle,” Mata said. “That is a 1-ton, 2-ton vehicle going at a high rate of speed. You are only in the control that the vehicle allows you to be in.”

Last weekend in Austin, KXAN-TV reported police responded to four different “street takeover” incidents on Saturday night. During these takeovers, Austin Police said the crowd threw rocks and bottles and pointed lasers at officers.

A YouTube video linked from the KXAN report showed officers in Sunset Valley interacting with a crowd in a shopping center parking lot before the takeovers took place. Sunset Valley Police Chief Lenn Carter told KXAN that the officer was trying to establish a connection with the organizer while warning them that if they crossed a line they could face consequences.

Texas DPS Director Steve McCraw said the takeovers are risking the lives of Texans and Texas law enforcement officers.

"We are seeing fireworks fired at officers in crowds, lasers pointed at aircraft, drivers driving upwards of 130 mph with no lights on in the dark of night -- all of it is reckless, and it needs to be stopped," McCraw said in a statement.

For Dallas County resident Dr. Angel Durr, watching video of a recent takeover in Austin is difficult. She said she’s all too familiar with the potential consequences. Durr’s mother, 54-year-old Lynetta Mae Washington, was killed during a street takeover in Dallas. Police said racers shut down an intersection near Duncanville Road when an unknown gunman opened fire, hitting Washington.

“They’re creating a public hazard for people and putting peoples’ lives at risk. And ending people's lives, too,” said Durr. “There’s a lot of times in the last year and a half where I just felt hopeless.”

Over the course of just one weekend in 2021, the year that Durr’s mother was killed, Dallas Police arrested 81 people connected to takeovers. Mata said there is serious danger in the unknown.