Arrest made after explosive street takeover video shows mob ambushing couple during fiery car meetup
New York City authorities have made an arrest in the caught-on-camera illegal street takeover that ended with a couple being brutally beaten and a neighbor’s car being set ablaze by a group of rowdy drivers.
Justin Aguilera, 19, is facing a slew of charges, including gang assault, riot, assault and trespassing, City Councilwoman Vickie Paladino, who represents the neighborhood, said in a social media post Thursday.
The charges stem from a violent car meet-up in the Queens neighborhood of Malba around 12:30 a.m. on Nov. 23, in which a husband and wife were allegedly attacked in the front yard of their home, according to police. Aguilera was the “main assault perpetrator,” according to Paladino.
“We all saw the blurry videos,” Paladino said. “You know how hard it was to track a car and to track the [license] plate? [It] didn’t come easy, but they got the job done. We’re just getting started, but it’s a hell of a way to start.”
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Video captured of the incident shows cars doing donuts in the residential street as fireworks were set off, with one of the neighbors’ vehicles going up in flames.
Larry Rusch, a private security guard who lives in the area, heard the chaos outside his home and went outside to discover approximately 40 vehicles racing through the street, The New York Post reported.
In what was ultimately a futile attempt to defuse the situation, Rusch reportedly parked one of his vehicles in the intersection to try to block the drivers from causing even more damage.
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“As soon as I did that, everyone started leaving,” Rusch told The Post. “Then two individuals go up to the car. Somehow they threw some kind of firework or something and lit the car up. Then the melee started again.”
As the incident was unfolding, Blake Ferrer, another neighborhood resident, was reportedly attacked by the violent mob while attempting to defend his home.
“When I came out, I said, ‘Bro, you gotta get the f— off my property,’” Ferrer told The Post. “And that’s when it all started.”
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Footage shows a large group of people descending on Ferrer and his wife in the couple’s front yard, leaving the man with a broken nose, shoulder and ribs.
Within a few hours of the alleged beatdown, Aguilera was arrested for driving with a suspended license, which ultimately gave investigators the opportunity to track and identify him, according to Paladino.
Officials also seized the main stunt vehicle allegedly used in the illegal takeover earlier this week, with Paladino adding that the NYPD is currently tracking additional persons of interest as the investigation remains ongoing.
Aguilera was set to be arraigned in a Queens courtroom on Friday morning. The NYPD did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Following the incident, Paladino said she will be working alongside the Department of Transportation and NYPD to determine new infrastructure additions to help combat similar street takeovers.
“This is not over,” Paladino said. “And I am not going to let this go until everyone involved faces consequences.”
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