Worcester County Sheriff Matt Crisafulli is pushing Maryland officials to stiffen penalties for so-called takeover events, pointing to a past gathering where people hurled frozen water bottles at law enforcement officers and left several of them hurt. He raised the issue at a meeting on Monday, representing both his own county and a statewide law enforcement group, as pressure builds across Maryland to crack down on the social-media-fueled gatherings.
Crisafulli addressed safety concerns tied to takeover events during the Monday, Oct. 19 meeting, which included the governor’s chief of staff, legislative officers, state officials and other state leaders, according to WBOC TV. He represented both the Maryland Sheriffs’ Association and Worcester County at the session, the outlet reported. Crisafulli said the goal of any new legislation is straightforward: raise penalties for laws that are already on the books rather than write entirely new statutes.
The sheriff described takeover events as gatherings that can quickly spiral out of control, pulling resources away from communities that need them. “You had law enforcement resources being deployed to different areas. First responders being deployed to different areas,” he said, according to the station’s report. He added that the events cause chaos for first responders and fear in the communities where they happen, and that they remain an ongoing issue rather than a one-time problem.
Frozen Bottles, Multiple Injuries
Crisafulli pointed to a specific past gathering where people threw frozen water bottles at law enforcement officers, leading to multiple injuries, per the same account. That takeover involved acts of violence and multiple injuries, he said. Authorities describe the gatherings as organized through social media, capable of attracting hundreds or thousands of juveniles and young adults from across Maryland and neighboring states.
That description lines up with how other outlets have characterized the phenomenon statewide. Street takeovers are unauthorized gatherings in which participants block public roads to race or perform dangerous driving stunts, according to WJLA. Some events have been spontaneous pop-ups organized through Snapchat, while others have been publicly promoted, Yahoo News reported, and other accounts note promoters have used platforms including TikTok and Instagram to organize the gatherings, according to the Ocean City Today.
Parental Accountability on the Table
Crisafulli identified greater accountability for children and parents as a discussion point in the push for legislation, the WBOC report states. He said parents are typically civilly responsible for their children’s actions, and he advocated for greater accountability for parents who allow children to enter a jurisdiction and steal a vehicle, assault someone, or commit murder, according to the station.
Maryland law already touches on related territory in narrower contexts. A state bill, Senate Bill 314, would establish joint and several civil liability for a parent, guardian or custodian of a minor whose willful misconduct causes death, injury or property damage, subject to stated exceptions and limits, according to Maryland General Assembly records. Separately, state law provides that a parent’s or child’s right of action for wrongful death, personal injury or property damage arising from a motor vehicle may not be restricted by parent-child immunity or certain insurance-policy provisions, up to applicable coverage limits, per the Maryland statute governing that issue.
Other Maryland Jurisdictions Moving Too
Worcester County is not alone in pressing lawmakers. Montgomery County’s Public Safety Committee voted to advance Bill 27-26 to the full council, according to WTOP, and the county council then unanimously approved legislation aimed at cracking down on illegal street takeovers, WJLA reported. The measure would make it illegal to participate in an illegal car race or street takeover as a driver or as a timekeeper, flagger or starter, per Bethesda Magazine, while also targeting those who aid, promote or organize the events.
Accounts of the proposed fine amount differ. WJLA reported violators could face fines of up to $5,000, while WTOP reported the bill as proposed would fine participants and organizers up to $1,000, with a council member pushing to raise that figure to $5,000. Either way, Maryland State Police have already shown enforcement in action elsewhere in the state: the agency’s Maryland Car Rally Task Force arrested six people in connection with three separate car rallies in Prince George’s County, according to WJLA, as the task force increases patrols in known hotspots for street takeovers and works with local police departments statewide.
Ocean City is pursuing its own path. Town officials are working with state government leaders to create legislation that would establish criminal penalties for those who organize or promote unlawful takeover events resulting in violence, property damage, assault or public disruption, the Ocean City Today reported. Mayor Rick Meehan hopes a bill will be presented during the 2027 Maryland General Assembly session, according to the outlet. Crisafulli, for his part, said the Worcester County proposal would not be part of the upcoming special legislative session.
What Comes Next
Crisafulli said he will continue meeting with the sheriffs’ association and the chiefs of police association as the effort moves forward. “When the legislative cycle takes effect in the next couple of months, we will start to look at what the next steps are going to be,” he said, according to WBOC. In the meantime, he said reports from the public help law enforcement stay ahead of chaotic takeover events, and he urged residents to report any information about a takeover event to law enforcement.
