Article Text
Police in Maryland and Virginia are investigating a series of illegal car rallies that drew crowds of up to 300 people, disrupted roads and sent vehicles crossing state lines overnight.
Maryland State Police began breaking up gatherings around 10 p.m. Saturday and continued until 4 a.m. Sunday. Authorities reported exhibition driving, disorderly conduct and roadway shutdowns at the events.
Shortly before 1:30 a.m. Sunday, Fairfax County police responded to reports of reckless driving near Dolley Madison Boulevard and Georgetown Pike in McLean. Officers found about 15 vehicles involved in a car meetup.
The Fairfax 1 police helicopter also responded before the vehicles turned around and returned to Maryland, according to Fairfax County police spokesperson Katie Watts. The group spent about an hour in Virginia.
While in Maryland, participants abandoned a stolen vehicle belonging to a Baltimore owner, Watts said. Police are investigating that vehicle, but Fairfax County authorities have made no arrests.
Maryland State Police arrested two people at the Camp Springs rally: Jossel Joan Maldonado Sanabria, 19, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, and his passenger, a 17-year-old from Falls Church.
Both were charged with possessing a loaded firearm and taken to the Prince George’s County Detention Center for processing.
The Maryland Car Rally Task Force responded to gatherings at eight locations:
- 15606 Emerald Way in Bowie
- 6210 Allentown Road in Camp Springs
- 8582 Fenton Street in Silver Spring
- 9500 Marlboro Pike in Upper Marlboro
- 6050 Fallard Drive in Upper Marlboro
- 7705 Connecticut Avenue in Chevy Chase
- 2600 Marble Court in Forestville
- 1415 Magellan Road in Hanover
The task force includes Maryland State Police and police departments from Prince George’s, Montgomery, Howard and Baltimore counties, Baltimore City, and the Maryland Transportation Authority Police.