A 27-year-old man is facing a stack of felony charges after Miami-Dade deputies say he spun donuts for a crowd of dozens at a blocked-off Gladeview intersection, then sped away at more than 100 mph when deputies tried to pull him over. Evian Jamar Griffin was arrested without incident outside his home in South Miami Heights, according to investigators, capping off what authorities describe as a targeted operation to track him down days after the stunt.
According to WPLG Local 10, Griffin drove a black Infiniti during an intersection takeover near Northwest 77th Terrace and Northwest 24th Avenue on August 2. Roughly 40 to 50 vehicles blocked the roadway before Griffin allegedly performed donuts in an intersection that was closed off in all four directions. Investigators say the gathering drew about 70 to 80 spectators who surrounded the intersection and recorded the activity on their phones.
Griffin allegedly posted videos of himself participating in the takeover to Instagram under the username SoggyQ50 on August 3, providing investigators with the evidence they needed to identify him. That pattern mirrors a case reported by Local 10 News just weeks earlier, in which Homeland Security Bureau detectives tracked down and arrested a 22-year-old man at his residence two days after he allegedly took part in masked intersection takeovers in northwest Miami-Dade.
Deputies Say Griffin Fled at High Speed Onto the Turnpike
When marked patrol units arrived to disperse the crowd, Griffin allegedly turned off the Infiniti's lights and covered its license plate with a black shirt, per investigators. Deputies attempted a felony traffic stop on Griffin, but he accelerated southbound onto Florida's Turnpike at a high rate of speed, according to the report. Deputies drove more than 100 mph while attempting to catch up with him, and his reckless driving forced other motorists onto the highway shoulder to avoid collisions, per deputies.
The chase and the earlier stunt driving have left Griffin facing a lengthy list of charges: one count of attempted fleeing or eluding marked law enforcement officers at high speed, two counts of drag racing on a coordinated highway, one count of reckless driving, and one count of accessory after the fact. He was being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center as of Thursday, with his bond listed as to be set.
What Griffin Could Be Facing Under Florida Law
The intersection takeover was organized through a group chat where participants shared locations and coordinated blocking traffic, according to the arrest report. Under Florida Senate Bill 1764, which took effect in July 2024, participating in a coordinated street takeover involving 10 or more vehicles is a third-degree felony carrying fines between $2,500 and $4,000 and a mandatory two-year driver's license revocation, according to the Florida Senate. Before that law took effect, first-time street racing and takeover violations were only first-degree misdemeanors with fines capped between $500 and $1,000.
The fleeing charge carries even steeper stakes. Florida Statute §316.1935 classifies fleeing or attempting to elude a marked law enforcement vehicle at high speed or with wanton disregard for safety as a second-degree felony, punishable by up to 15 years in state prison and a $10,000 fine, per the Florida Senate's statutory language. A second street racing or takeover conviction within a year would escalate the underlying charge from a misdemeanor to a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison.
Deputies Towed the Infiniti and Placed It on Hold
Deputies towed the Infiniti from Griffin's property and placed it on a 30-day hold. Florida law allows agencies to impose that kind of immediate impoundment on vehicles tied to street racing or takeovers, and permits permanent civil asset forfeiture for repeat offenses under the Florida Contraband Forfeiture Act, according to legal guidance published by FindLaw.
The spectators who gathered to record the Gladeview takeover were not immune from consequences either. Florida's 2024 street racing law imposes a $400 noncriminal traffic infraction fine on anyone who gathers to watch or film illegal races, stunt driving, or intersection takeovers, a provision aimed at discouraging the crowds that fuel these events.
Part of a Broader Crackdown Across Miami-Dade
Griffin's arrest was not an isolated incident. During the same August 1-2 weekend, the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office Homeland Security Bureau ran a broader countywide enforcement operation targeting intersection takeovers, resulting in multiple arrests, vehicle seizures, and traffic citations across the county, according to a release from Miami-Dade County. Reports from the Homeland Security Bureau note that takeover drivers often perform their stunts in a central area participants call “the pit,” chasing social media clout and video footage that can later be used against them in court.
Hoodline has previously reported on injuries from takeovers in Doral, where a pickup driver fled after a crash left three people hurt, and covered a Miami Lakes takeover where a firework burned a deputy's hand. Earlier this year, deputies also arrested a man accused of ramming a patrol car after a separate string of Miami street takeovers, underscoring how frequently these organized events have turned dangerous for both drivers and law enforcement across Miami-Dade.
