A 28-year-old Hampton man has pleaded guilty for his role in the chaotic street takeover that turned a West Ghent intersection into an evening spectacle of burnouts, fireworks and open flame back in May. D’Shawn William Creque was charged with aiding and abetting street racing or exhibition driving, a case tied to one of the more jarring nights the quiet Redgate Avenue corridor has seen in recent memory.
Creque entered his guilty plea in court Tuesday, as reported by WTKR. The outlet reported that Creque had already completed 80 hours of community service by the time of his plea and must now finish 20 additional hours while maintaining good behavior for six months to close out the case. Court records cited by 13News Now show Creque is set to appear in court again on April 22, 2027.
The scene that led to the charge unfolded on May 17, when dozens of people flooded the intersection of Redgate Avenue and Greenway Court around 8:15 p.m., according to WAVY. Video reviewed by the station showed someone pouring gasoline and igniting it in the street, another person setting off firecrackers, and a car spinning doughnuts in the middle of the crowd. One caller reported that the street was literally on fire, per WTKR’s report.
Police Response Delayed by a Higher-Priority Call
Officers didn’t arrive at the scene until 8:40 p.m., roughly 25 minutes after the crowd gathered. Per the same WAVY account, officers were dispatched six minutes after the first 911 calls came in, but were initially rerouted to a higher-priority call involving a man being chased before reaching Redgate Avenue.
Creque was arrested on May 26 in the 100 block of Brooke Avenue in downtown Norfolk, according to the Daily Press. He was the second person taken into custody in connection with the incident. Isaiah A. Duncan-Simmons, 19, of Virginia Beach, had been arrested days earlier and was accused of using the flamethrower seen in witness videos; he faces charges of disorderly conduct and carelessly damaging property by fire, the station reported. Duncan-Simmons was arrested in the 4000 block of Starwood Arch with help from Virginia Beach Police.
West Ghent Neighbors Demanded Answers
The uproar in the street prompted a public meeting among police, city leaders and the West Ghent Civic League to address neighbors’ concerns, according to 13News Now. Residents described drivers doing doughnuts, fireworks being lit, and a flamethrower in use. Courtney Doyle, one neighbor, said the incident happened in her backyard and that she did not want it to happen again, per the same report.
Under Virginia law, someone who isn’t racing but helps organize or enable a race or exhibition-driving event can still be charged. As outlined in Virginia Code Section 46.2-866, aiding or abetting such an event is a Class 1 misdemeanor, the same classification Creque pleaded guilty to.
Part of a Broader Pattern Across Virginia
Street takeovers like the one on Redgate Avenue are far from isolated in Virginia. State General District Court records show 126 people were convicted of Class 1 misdemeanor racing over the past two years, according to a Virginia Mercury analysis. Of those convictions, 42.1% resulted in an average of 20 days behind bars. The outlet also reported that Virginia circuit courts convicted four defendants between 2023 and 2024 for racing that resulted in fatalities, and that the state’s Criminal Sentencing Commission has warned that proposed expansions to reckless-driving law could increase demand for bed space and resources at correctional facilities statewide.
