Brandon 'street takeover' leads to 16 arrests: FHP

BRANDON, Fla. - A street takeover involving over a dozen vehicles and pedestrians led to 16 arrests early Saturday morning in Brandon, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Brandon street takeover arrests

The backstory:

The takeover happened shortly after 12:30 a.m. near 9270 E. Columbus Dr., where troopers said vehicles and people were blocking a private commercial parking lot while drivers performed burnouts, doughnuts and other stunts.

FHP's aviation unit helped troopers track multiple vehicles as drivers began fleeing when law enforcement arrived.

Troopers eventually blocked the entrances and exits of a commercial complex near 9202 E. Columbus Dr., where they stopped several vehicles.

According to FHP arrest affidavits, multiple vehicles began fleeing when troopers arrived at the scene of the takeover. The vehicles were tracked to the area of E. Columbus Drive and U.S. 301, where troopers positioned their vehicles to prevent drivers from leaving.

The affidavits say all adult drivers taken into custody were charged with unlawful racing on a highway while engaged in a coordinated street takeover.

Passengers who were not arrested were issued criminal citations, FHP said.

The following people were arrested on the street takeover charge, according to FHP:

• Zackery Earls, 22, of Brandon
• Johnathon Luke-Hancock, 18, of Tampa
• Michael Navarro, 23, of Carrollwood
• Jada Maderatroup, 20, of Tampa
• Rashod Smith Jr., 22, of Sun City Center
• Alleaona Searight, 19, of Zephyrhills
• Edgardaniel Perez-Tavera, 22, of Clearwater
• Jamya Goston, 21, of University
• Johnathan Kilgore, 20, of Riverview
• Ryan Wright, 19, of Temple Terrace
• William Picart, 18, of Tampa
• Joshua Brown, 19, of Jacksonville
• Julian Perez, 18, of Zephyrhills

Smith faces additional charges of driving with a canceled, suspended or revoked license, operating an unregistered vehicle and three probation violations.

Perez-Tavera was also charged with resisting an officer without violence.

According to his affidavit, Perez-Tavera was fleeing the takeover when he stopped and picked up another driver who was running from a trooper. 

Alexander Foster, 45, of Brandon was arrested on charges of DUI and refusal to submit to testing, FHP said.

Fleeing driver hits FHP patrol vehicle

Dig deeper:

Another driver, Enrique Serrano Aquino, 27, of Largo, faces more serious charges.

FHP said shortly before 1 a.m., Serrano Aquino was fleeing from troopers in a Honda sedan when he drove toward a trooper's vehicle stopped at an intersection.

Serrano Aquino tried to squeeze between the patrol vehicle and the curb but hit the front of the trooper's vehicle, according to the affidavit.

Serrano Aquino and his passenger, Guarionelys Arroyo Ramirez, 24, of Tampa, then got out and ran toward a warehouse area, investigators said.

Serrano Aquino later got into the back of a Dodge vehicle that was eventually stopped by troopers.

Investigators said the tag attached to his Honda was not assigned to the vehicle. A small plastic bag containing about 4 grams of marijuana was also found in the center console, according to the affidavit.

Serrano Aquino faces charges of:

• Aggravated battery with a deadly weapon
• Possession of cannabis less than 20 grams
• Fleeing to elude at a high speed
• Attaching a tag not assigned to the vehicle

Arroyo Ramirez told investigators she had been out with a friend and panicked after the crash. She said she had never been in trouble and ran because she was scared.

Arroyo Ramirez faces charges of resisting an officer without violence, unlawful racing on a highway and knowingly riding as a passenger.

SUV crash leads to juvenile arrest

A juvenile was also arrested during the response. The juvenile's name was not released because of their age.

According to FHP, a trooper drove through a warehouse parking lot where multiple vehicles were driving recklessly.

When the trooper tried to get in front of an SUV driven by the juvenile, the driver reversed and hit the back of another vehicle before fleeing, investigators said.

The trooper tried a PIT maneuver, after which the SUV stopped and the juvenile was taken into custody.

The juvenile faces charges of:

• Criminal mischief of $1,000 or more
• Unlawful racing on a highway while engaged in a coordinated street takeover
• Fleeing and attempting to elude a police officer

All arrested individuals were taken to the Hillsborough County Jail, according to FHP.

Hillsborough CountyCrime and Public Safety