By Chris Pugh
cleveland.com
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — A newly released dashcam video from the Florida Highway Patrol shows the dramatic moments a state trooper responded to an illegal street takeover that shut down all northbound lanes of Interstate 75 in Hillsborough County before chasing a fleeing driver at speeds authorities said reached 140 mph. The incident happened around 1:30 a.m. Saturday near mile marker 266 in the Thonotosassa area, New York Post reported.
The video begins with the trooper driving at high speed with emergency lights and sirens activated while approaching a traffic backup caused by hundreds of vehicles stopped across the interstate, Fox News said. As the patrol car neared the scene, people could be seen running between vehicles while others quickly returned to their cars as law enforcement arrived. Drivers gradually moved aside, allowing the trooper to reach the center of the gathering.
According to investigators, the trooper then spotted a green BMW leaving the scene and began pursuing the vehicle. Authorities said the driver accelerated to approximately 140 mph — roughly double the posted interstate speed limit — before exiting I-75 and continuing into a nearby neighborhood.
Dashcam footage shows the BMW eventually pulling over without further incident. The trooper ordered the driver out of the vehicle at gunpoint before taking him into custody. Two passengers later exited the vehicle and complied with commands while the trooper secured the scene.
The driver, identified by authorities as 25-year-old Yulian Lugo, was arrested on felony charges of aggravated fleeing to elude law enforcement and participating in a street takeover. Three passengers — a 24-year-old and two 18-year-olds — were also arrested and each faces a misdemeanor highway racing charge. All four were booked into the Hillsborough County Jail , according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Investigators said the gathering began when hundreds of vehicles allegedly blocked every northbound lane of Interstate 75 while participants performed burnouts and other driving stunts in the roadway. Authorities said many vehicles fled once law enforcement arrived, prompting the pursuit captured on the newly released dashcam footage.
Florida law enforcement agencies have increasingly targeted illegal street takeovers in recent months because of the dangers they pose to motorists and emergency responders. In June, police in St. Augustine Beach said officers prevented a planned takeover after identifying discussions about the event online before it occurred. Earlier this year, Orlando police also released video of large groups of e-bike riders blocking intersections, ignoring traffic signals and delaying emergency vehicles while pledging continued enforcement efforts.
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