Cooley Supports Tougher Street-Takeover Penalties

HARTFORD- State Rep. Francis Cooley (R-22) today strongly supported a bill to address the proliferation of street-takeovers in the state in recent years.

This bill empowers municipalities to add another level of criminal penalty to punish and deter street takeovers,” said Rep. Cooley. “Street takeovers are creating severe public safety concerns in many cities and towns throughout the state and have resulted in serious injury. We can’t allow these gatherings to occur and cause all this havoc on our roads.”

Cooley mentioned that some of these street-takeovers result in fireworks being hurled at law enforcement; police are occasionally attacked by these takeover participants or shots have been fired at police.

The legislation, HB-5413, An Act Concerning the Illegal Use of Certain Vehicles and Street Takeovers would permit a municipality to pass an ordinance prohibiting a person from organizing, participating in, or gathering with the intent to observe a street takeover. The penalty for a first offense is $1,000; second offense is $1,500; and $2,000 any subsequent offense. Such ordinance may provide for the impoundment of any vehicle used in a street takeover until a fine is paid.

The bill also requires a municipality to notify lienholders/owners of confiscated ATVs to collect such ATV within 30 days after the municipality mails a written notice to the owner that it will be forfeited if not collected.

Additionally, the bill allows municipalities to destroy unclaimed confiscated vehicles, rather than auctioning them off.

The bill now heads to the State Senate for further debate and vote.