Senator Palumbo & Local Officials Call for Increased Penalties for Reckless Driving Following “Street Takeover” in Brookhaven

            New York State Senator Anthony Palumbo (R,C,-New Suffolk) today joined local officials to call for increased penalties for reckless driving following a “Street Takeover” on 25a at Miller Place Road. The incident left one person injured and delayed the response of emergency vehicles in the vicinity.

            “Long Islander’s safety and quality of life continues to be eroded by soft on crime policies emanating from Albany. So called Street Takeovers are a growing and dangerous phenomena that are now happening right here in our communities,” said Senator Anthony Palumbo. “The State Legislature needs to take swift and decisive action to increase penalties for those who drive recklessly in our communities and hinder the response of our emergency services—police, fire and EMS.”

            To help address the problem and give law enforcement greater tools to keep our local streets safe, Senator Palumbo has introduced new legislation that would increase penalties on individuals who make an already dangerous situation even more treacherous by interfering with emergency medical services S.9925.

            The Senator is also a co-sponsor of Senate Bill S.7717a, carried by Senator Rob Rolison, which establishes the offense of aggravated reckless driving and allows for the seizure and forfeiture of vehicles used in connection with reckless driving or aggravated reckless driving.

            “As elected officials, we need to send a strong message that these incidents will not be tolerated.  These bills will provide law enforcement and District Attorneys’ Offices with the tools they need to crack down on reckless drivers and keep these individuals off our streets,” said Senator Palumbo.

            “I support Sen. Palumbo’s efforts to address this situation, which continues to create public safety hazards in our communities. This kind of reckless behavior will not be tolerated in Suffolk County,” said County Executive Ed Romaine.

            Brookhaven Town Supervisor Dan Panico said: “Senator Palumbo fully appreciates and understands the outrage we all share by seeing an ambulance stopped by those who unlawfully blocked this intersection, brought on by a night of coordinated criminal chaos. Senator Palumbo is a former prosecutor who believes in law and order, I’m proud to stand beside him and support his legislation to help keep the public safe and increase penalties on those with a reckless disregard for the law.”

            Brookhaven Town Councilwoman Jane Bonner said: “I commend Senator Palumbo for his quick actions and leadership in addressing the dangerous rise of illegal street takeovers. His commitment to increasing fines and penalties for those involved sends a strong message that this reckless behavior will not be tolerated. By standing up for public safety, Senator Palumbo is helping to protect our communities and ensure that our streets remain safe for everyone.”

            County Legislator Chad Lennon said: “We will not stand for this in our community and I together with our other elected officials will seek every avenue to end these reckless and dangerous meet ups. I encourage every resident to call 911 once they see these meet ups occurring. If anyone is concerned with calling the police, you can call my office, and I will make that call for you. Together we will keep our communities safe and free of these reckless criminals.”

            “As we continue to witness the rise of reckless driving in our communities, it’s clear that immediate action is necessary to protect public safety and ensure that our emergency vehicles can operate without obstruction. The incident in Brookhaven serves as a stark reminder of the risks posed to both drivers and pedestrians when individuals choose to engage in this illegal activity,” said Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio. “This is why I fully support Senator Palumbo’s proposed legislation, which seeks to strengthen penalties for reckless driving. These measures are crucial for deterring dangerous behavior and providing law enforcement with the tools needed to hold offenders accountable.”

               State and local officials in attendance at today’s event include: Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine, Chief Assistant District Attorney Allen Bode, Brookhaven Town Supervisor Dan Panico, Brookhaven Town Councilwoman Jane Bonner, New York State Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio, New York State Assemblyman Ed Flood, Suffolk County Legislator Chad Lennon, Suffolk County Legislator Dominick Thorne, Suffolk County Legislator James Mazzarella, Suffolk County Legislator Catherine Stark, Paul Marra Chief of Suffolk EMS, and Kevin Paterson Senior Fire Marshal Suffolk County Fire Rescue.