Deputies make slew of street takeover arrests, including wanted hit-and-run driver

A 20-year-old man accused of driving into a man and running over a woman while trying to escape authorities shutting down a July street takeover was arrested earlier this week after deputies spent a month tracking him down.

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He’s not the only one this week authorities have jailed for street racing, performing donuts, burnouts and other illegal maneuvers in intersections

Anthony Brandon Lamelas, 20, is facing two counts of leaving the scene of a crash with serious bodily injury in connection to July’s street takeover. As of Thursday, he was still in the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.

Four people were also arrested in connection to unrelated street takeovers during the overnight hours of Sunday

From Saturday through Sunday, Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office deputies busted several street takeovers across the county. Several vehicles were seized, crowds were dispersed, and arrests and citations were made, authorities said.

Some of these takeovers included drag racing.

“These reckless events put participants, spectators, and innocent motorists at serious risk of injury or death, disrupt traffic, and create unnecessary hazards for our community,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.

Those arrested included: Abrian Alverto Arevalo, 20, charged with operating a motor vehicle for the purpose of recording the activities of participants in a drag race; Christian Llanes, 20, for riding as a passenger in a drag race; Shawn Nunn, 18, for drag racing; and Jordan Menjivar, 19, for reckless driving.

Fleeing cars injure three

During the early morning hours of July 5, numerous cars were blocking the intersection of Northwest 25th Street and Northwest 76th Avenue doing donuts, burnouts and drifting, Lamelas’ arrest report read. Authorities have classified such an event as a “street takeover,” and at this particular one, fireworks were also being fired.

Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office deputies and Doral police officers swarmed the area to put a stop to it, causing a mass of cars to speed off and a large crowd to run.

During the chaos, three pedestrians were struck by two fleeing vehicles, one of which was driven by Lamelas, the report read.

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Melany Rivera and Ingrid Cortez were crossing the street when a black sedan struck them. Cortez was able to regain her balance and move away from the road. However, Rivera was launched into the area and landed on the road in front of the sedan. The still unknown driver of that car drove around her and sped off.

Joseph Anthony Gamez saw all this and ran toward Rivera to help her. While aiding her in the street, Lamelas, driving a gold Ford Expedition, struck Gamez, propelling him into the air.

Lamelas continued to run over Rivera who was still laying injured in the street, deputies said.

Rivera was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center. She suffered multiple skull fractures, a cervical spine fracture, a fractured pelvis and a fractured right femur.

Gamez and Cortez were taken to Jackson West Medical Center. He had a fractured clavicle and she suffered a hip fracture and other cuts, bruises and road-rash.

Deputies worked through witness interviews, surveillance footage and license plate reader data to connect Lamelas as the driver of the Ford Expedition.

On Monday, authorities arrested him at his home. Deputies are still searching for the driver of the black sedan.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Midwest District General Investigations Unit at 305-471-2800 or can remain anonymous by calling Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.

For those with videos of the collisions, deputies ask that they be submitted online.

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