A massive swarm of young street racers took over an Atlanta intersection in the middle of the night Sunday, where they did donuts, drifted and raced one another in the wild melee, dramatic footage shows.
Police were dispatched to the intersection at 1:30 a.m. for a crowd gathered around cars “driving recklessly, blocking the roadway from citizen motorists, laying drag, and performing illegal drifting maneuvers, also known as ‘donuts,” according to the Atlanta Police Department.
Cops arrived to find over 200 people participating in the street racing. Video showed the crowd standing in a circle around the intersection with their cellphones out to record as vehicles sped by and created visible tire tracks on the roadway.
Bodycam footage released by the department captured officers running up to the rowdy crew as some attempted to run away on foot and others sped off in their cars.
“You better stop before I taze!” one officer yelled as he ran after a suspect into a nearby parking lot — eventually cuffing him and throwing him in the back of a police cruiser.
Cops then conducted two traffic stops on a black and silver sports sedan and detained the reckless racers who tried to flee, footage showed.
Eighteen alleged street racers were taken into custody and charged with multiple traffic violations. The oldest arrested was 25 and the youngest was 15, police said.
Multiple firearms were recovered, and vehicles were impounded amid the investigation, according to authorities.
“The Atlanta Police Department extends its appreciation to the Georgia State Patrol for their continued partnership and assistance,” the department said in a statement.
“Illegal street racing will not be tolerated in the City of Atlanta; Individuals engaging in this activity will be arrested, charged, and have their vehicles impounded.”