FRANKFORD (KYW Newsradio) — Dozens of cars and spectators crowded into the intersection of Torresdale and Adams Avenues Saturday night for a car meet up around 10 p.m., according to Philadelphia Police.
Those operating the cars drove recklessly, doing burnouts in the middle of the street.
Philadelphia Police Inspector D.F. Pace told NBC10 that officers were able to stop some of the vehicles once they arrived on the scene, but not all of them went peacefully.
“One attempted to flee and in doing so, rammed a police vehicle. That vehicle was stopped,” Pace said.
The 19-year-old driver, later identified as Chase Possert of Hamilton, New Jersey, was arrested and four 17-year-olds also received citations. Despite the damage to the patrol car, there were no reported injuries. Possert faces charges of criminal mischief, institutional vandalism, resisting arrest, fleeing police, reckless driving, and careless driving.
Another arrest was made after two officers encountered a 2023 Dodge Charger they said was drag racing. Its 33-year-old driver, identified as David Wyche of West Norriton, PA, was taken into custody. Wyche is charged with recklessly endangering another person, disorderly conduct-hazard, and reckless driving.
“This is something that the city is just not going to tolerate,” Pace told NBC10. “This has the potential to be incredibly dangerous, catastrophic, both for the participants and for innocent bystanders. And we are going to do everything we possibly can to eradicate this type of activity.”
Police said another patrol vehicle was damaged after they believe someone threw a bottle of tequila at the car and cracked its windshield.