Cellphone video captured a chaotic scene in southeast Charlotte early Sunday, as a driver appeared to plow into a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officer while police tried to break up a street takeover in the Smith Farm Road shopping-center parking lot. The clip shows the kind of late-night car meet neighbors dread, with two people left seriously injured and at least one officer knocked onto a car’s hood before landing back on his feet. By daylight, residents found the lot between the Harris Teeter and Hollywood Feed covered in tire scars from donuts and burnouts. The driver took off, but was arrested the next day, and CMPD says the officer who was hit is expected to be OK.
What investigators say
As reported by WSOC, Channel 9’s Hunter Sáenz wrote that police identified the driver as Tanaezah Austin and that multiple arrests were made in connection with the takeover. The station aired cellphone video that appears to show an officer walk up toward vehicles before being carried onto a car’s hood and then sliding off. Police told WSOC they are still working to determine whether any charges will be filed specifically related to the officer being hit. Nearby resident Sarah Reidy-Jones told WSOC she was “tired of things like this happening” after seeing the skid marks carved across the lot.
CMPD response and penalties
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department says it is continuing targeted enforcement against street takeovers, warning that organizers, participants and even spectators can face citations or arrests, and that vehicles can be seized, according to a CMPD newsroom release. First-time participation can bring a Class 1 misdemeanor along with a minimum $1,000 fine, and repeat violations may be charged as a Class H felony with steeper penalties attached. The department is asking anyone with video or information about the Smith Farm Road takeover to call Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.
Why this keeps coming up
Street takeovers have become a recurring public-safety headache across Charlotte, leading to arrests, vehicles being hauled off and increasingly aggressive enforcement from police and city leaders. Coverage of earlier weekend operations detailed how recent crackdowns led to multiple citations and seized cars, and WSOC reported in February that CMPD had charged a man accused of organizing takeover events promoted on social media. Officials say the coordinated gatherings and high-risk stunts put bystanders, drivers and first responders in jeopardy.
Legal note
Detectives are still reviewing video footage and witness statements from the Smith Farm Road scene as they sort out potential charges, and police have not yet publicly confirmed whether Austin will face charges tied specifically to the officer being struck. According to the department, anyone with tips or additional video can contact Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600 or reach out through CMPD’s public channels. The investigation remains active, and authorities say they will share more information as detectives finish their review.
