Last night, Maryland authorities cracked down on illegal car rally events across several counties, disrupting gatherings that have been the subject of increasing concern for public safety. As reported by the Maryland Department of State Police, the task force's operation led to the dismantling of eleven unlawful exhibition driving events, known colloquially as ‘takeovers’.
The coordinated effort included members from the Maryland Car Rally Task Force, Maryland State Police Special Operations Division, the Baltimore Regional Auto Theft Task Force (RATT), and police from Baltimore, Prince George’s, and Anne Arundel counties. According to the same source, officers responded to multiple locations where as many as 200 participants were gathered, some seeking to shut down intersections.
Efforts to combat these events intensified since June 2024, with the task force branching out to include various police departments. The gatherings are characterized by the blocking of public roads for performances of dangerous car maneuvers disrupting usual traffic patterns and risking lives. This past operation resulted in seven arrests, the recovery of a stolen vehicle, and the confiscation of an illegal firearm.
Arrests made during the operation include Daniel Linton, who faces charges including assault on police, malicious destruction of property, and related traffic offenses; Sh’Nard Martinez-Eric Pope, Chase Andrew Cover, and Alycia Destiny Cropper, linked to a stolen vehicle; Christian Thayn Dean and William Starkey, both charged with disorderly conduct; and Marcellus Cortez Swann, apprehended for DUI and charged with the additional crime of carrying a handgun under influence. The task force's underlying strategy is to deploy increased patrols in problem areas and pursue in-depth investigations to round up, and charge offenders.
