New legislation would apply to anyone who “operates in a reckless or negligent manner and hinders the movement of other vehicles on such ways with a group of two or more other vehicles”
South Coast Rep. Christopher Markey has an idea to prevent the rowdy and dangerous “street takeovers” that are frightening local residents and increasingly popping up in political discourse, with Republicans citing them as a reason for heightened law and order tactics.
After talking through the issue with police, Markey has proposed a bill, cosponsored by Republican Rep. Steven Xiarhos of Barnstable, authorizing the seizure of vehicles used by participants in organized street takeovers. He sees the proposed law as a way to deter an emerging problem.
“These vehicles are typically the prized possession of these young men and women,” Markey told the News Service.
The Dartmouth Democrat’s legislation would also augment the $150 fine in place for disturbing the peace and disorderly conduct by increasing it to up to $500 and making it a jailable offense to commit such infractions while masked.
The legislation would apply to anyone who “operates in a reckless or negligent manner and hinders the movement of other vehicles on such ways with a group of two or more other vehicles,” and it authorizes a punishment of up to 2.5 years in jail while banning “continued without a finding” dispositions in such cases.
The House on Thursday referred Markey’s bill to the Joint Committee on the Judiciary. The next step for the bill will be a public hearing. Markey says he’s heard positive reviews of his plan from other state representatives.
“Four or five colleagues came up to me and said it was a good bill and they liked it,” he said.
The impetus, he said, was street takeovers in Boston, Randolph, Middleborough and Somerset, as well as one in Fall River last week.
On Oct. 16, Gov. Maura Healey said the first weekend of a crackdown on street takeovers resulted in seven arrests, 20 criminal summons, 232 civil citations, 74 warnings, 15 vehicles towed, two vehicles seized and one stolen car recovered.
At a press conference last month, State Police Superintendent Col. Geoffrey Noble noted the value of deterring street takeovers.
“We don’t want to respond to a street takeover at 2 a.m. with 200 cars, and now we have 200 motorists fleeing at high rates of speed, which just creates additional issues,” Noble said.
