PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office has arrested four more men in its continuing Operation Hot Wheels conducted to combat car clubs and intersection takeovers within the county.
Late Saturday, members of a car club began driving recklessly and took part in plaza takeovers at 3961 S. Jog Road in Greenacres, spokeswoman Teri Barbera told WPTV in an inquiry. The area is north of Lake Worth Road.
Overnight, the agency also issued 154 citations, 12 criminal citations, 91 spectator citations, Barbera said
Booked at the Palm Beach County Jail after 3 a.m. were: Nino Ramon, Esau Emanuel Herrera, Roberto Rosales Hernandez and Miguel Angel Pizano. Their first court appearance are scheduled for Monday morning.
They are all facing felony charges of racing a vehicle and damage to a property.
In late September, PBSO made four arrests during two days.
On Sept. 30, two men were found drifting and doing burnouts in the 1700 block of Meathe Drive.
On Sept. 27, two men were doing burnouts at the Lake Worth Plaza, PBSO said.
In July, three people were arrested and 71 were cited after a group of car club members took over a plaza at Forest Hill Boulevard and Military Trail, an intersection at Community Boulevard and Military Trail, an intersection at Silver Beach Road and U.S. 1, as well as a roadblock on Interstate 95 at 45th Street.
In May, five people were arrested and 80 were cited with seven vehicles towed and 28 traffic stops after multiple intersection takeovers by street car clubs in West Palm Beach, Riviera Beach and Palm Beach County. PBSO teamed up with West Palm Beach police and Florida Highway Patrol. Locations included a plaza on Cleary Road, the intersection of Woolbright Road and Lawrence Road, and Forest Hill Boulevard and Georgia Avenue in West Palm Beach.
In April, seven people were arrested, including four minors during an intersection takeover of street car clubs at the Jupiter Farms and Indiantown Road intersection. In all there were 45 citations, including 18 spectators cited and seven vehicles towed.
Florida enacted a law in 2022 that prohibits street racing activities, including drag racing, street takeovers, stunt driving, drifting, wheelies, burnouts and doughnuts.