In a continued effort to address the disruptive and dangerous car meetups that have plagued Philadelphia's streets, the city's police department has announced the arrest of two more individuals involved in the illegal activities. The arrests come as part of a broader crackdown on the organized events, which have included reckless driving, street racing, and other unlawful behavior that has put the public at risk.

Bringing the Perpetrators to Justice

Arrests and Charges

The Philadelphia Police Department has announced the arrests of David French, 21, of Northeast Philadelphia, and Juawarn Williams, 21, of Rosedale, Maryland, in connection with the car meetups. French was apprehended at his home on October 23rd and charged with causing a risking catastrophe, recklessly endangering another person, criminal conspiracy, reckless driving, and other related offenses. Williams was arrested on November 7th while at his residence and faces similar charges, including causing a risking catastrophe, recklessly endangering another person, criminal conspiracy, fleeing a police officer, and additional related offenses.These latest arrests bring the total number of individuals taken into custody across several states to nine, with two of the arrests considered to be major. The Philadelphia Police Department has been working closely with social media companies, such as Meta, to shut down accounts that organize these illegal meetups, ensuring they do not occur again.

Cracking Down on Disrespect and Recklessness

Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel has made it clear that the city will not tolerate the disrespect and reckless behavior displayed during these car meetups. In a strong statement, he vowed to "lock up every person who came into our city and first, disrespected my men and women, disrespected our city and what we stand for."The car meetups, which began around 9:30 PM on September 21st and lasted until 4:33 AM on September 22nd, saw crowds ranging from 50 to 200 vehicles gathered throughout the city streets. During this time, officers responded to multiple locations, witnessing a range of illegal activities, including taking over street intersections, setting off fireworks, performing doughnuts, street racing, drifting, and other reckless behaviors.

Impounding Vehicles and Ongoing Investigations

As part of the crackdown, the Philadelphia Police Department has identified more than 50 cars and off-road vehicles involved in the meetups, with over 30 of them being impounded. The department is continuing its investigations, working to hold all those responsible for the disruptive and dangerous events accountable.In addition to the latest arrests, the police have previously apprehended 21-year-old Joseph Cavanaugh from Levittown and 20-year-old James Hare from Northeast Philadelphia, with Cavanaugh being identified as a key organizer of one of the car meetups. Prior to these arrests, 18-year-old Shane Thomas was also taken into custody in Montgomery County.The Philadelphia Police Department's relentless pursuit of those involved in the illegal car meetups demonstrates their commitment to restoring order and ensuring the safety of the city's streets. By working with social media companies and continuing their investigations, the department is determined to prevent such disruptive and dangerous events from occurring again in the future.