The Suffolk County Police Department’s Street Takeover Task Force has made four arrests tied to illegal car meets and dangerous driving incidents investigated in 2025, officials announced this week. The arrests stem from three separate cases in which motorists allegedly engaged in reckless behavior that posed risks to other drivers, pedestrians and police officers.
David Alvarado Zelaya, 26, of Wyandanch, was arrested January 3 and charged with unlawful speed contests, sideshows and races. Police said Zelaya was observed performing a burnout in a 2020 Dodge Charger on December 28 in a parking lot at 437 William Floyd Parkway in Shirley. His vehicle, which had multiple equipment violations, was impounded.
Daniel Velasquez Chavez, 24, of North Bay Shore, was arrested January 2 following a December 7 incident in Brentwood. He was charged with reckless endangerment in the second degree, unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle in the third degree, and unlawful speed contests, sideshows and races. Police said officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop when Velasquez Chavez allegedly performed a burnout and fled at a high rate of speed in a reckless manner. His vehicle was impounded.
A 17-year-old male from Centereach was also arrested January 2 and charged with unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle and reckless driving. Police said the teen fled from officers in a 2013 Hyundai Genesis from a Selden parking lot at 401 Independence Plaza on November 28. The vehicle was impounded. A relative, Gerardo Benitez, 26, of Centereach, later reported the Hyundai stolen and was charged with falsely reporting an incident.
“The Street Takeover Task Force has made Suffolk County safer by taking dangerous drivers off the roads,” County Executive Ed Romaine said, noting the unit has disrupted nearly 100 street takeovers.
Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina said illegal car meets put lives at risk and remain a quality-of-life issue. Since November 2024, the task force has broken up 92 street takeovers, issued 8,656 summonses, made 65 arrests and impounded 103 vehicles. Tips can be reported to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.