Cops Bust Big Yaphank Street Takeover

Suffolk County Police arrested four Connecticut men and impounded a truck, trailer and race car after breaking up an alleged street takeover early Sunday, the latest strike in the county’s escalating crackdown on illegal racing, burnouts and roadway “sideshows.”

Police said a 911 caller reported a large gathering of vehicles on Express Drive North, west of Sills Road, at about 1:10 a.m. Officers with the department’s Street Takeover Task Force responded and allegedly saw vehicles racing before the group scattered.

Police then stopped a truck towing a trailer with a race car and arrested four men.

Christian Vargas Hernandez, 28, of Meriden, Connecticut, was charged with reckless driving, third-degree unlawful fleeing of a police officer in a motor vehicle, and unlawful speed contests, sideshows and races. John Maldonado, 33; Lawrence Torres, 30; and Efrain Rivera, 35, all of Meriden, were charged with unlawful speed contests, sideshows and races.

The arrests come amid a broader Suffolk County push against illegal street takeovers.

The specialized task force was launched in November 2024 to target organizers and participants, using intelligence gathering and social media monitoring to identify planned events. By January 2026, police said the unit had broken up 92 street takeovers, issued more than 8,600 summonses, made 65 arrests and impounded 103 vehicles.

The crackdown has continued this summer.

In July, the task force arrested nine people, impounded 12 vehicles and issued 46 tickets during a takeover in East Farmingdale. In August, officers arrested 15 people and impounded seven vehicles after tracking a takeover group through Islip and Patchogue before intercepting it in Medford.

All four men arrested in Yaphank were issued field appearance tickets and are due in court at a later date.