A man allegedly responsible for organizing some of L.A. County’s most prominent “street takeovers” was arrested in his Paramount home.

Erick Romero Quintana, 20, allegedly used social media to put together multiple takeover events throughout Los Angeles County.

“This organizer has coordinated events throughout Southern California that have not only resulted in large-scale takeovers but also smash-and-grab robberies, vehicle thefts, and other violent crimes, including murder,” LAPD media relations said. “This arrest is significant not only for the City of Los Angeles but also for the Southern California region.”

Quintana was arrested in his Paramount home after officers served a search warrant at 5 a.m., February 7.

With the arrest outside the LAPD’s jurisdiction, the Street Racing Task Force teamed up with the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) and the California Highway Patrol (CHP). While the task force specializes in illegal street racing, street takeovers are a different phenomenon that has recently hit Los Angeles.

Street takeovers consist of multiple cars and crowds of people blocking the passage of an intersection. Then, in the middle of the intersection, cars often peel into donuts, power slides, and burnouts, creating massive clouds of smoke in front of the crowds. It is not unusual for hundreds to gather at these events, with police accusing Quintana of drawing these people to specific locations using the power of his more than 70,000 followers.

Videos have often been shared to local social media accounts, highlighting crowd members struck by cars, members engaging in looting after the events, and, at times, fights breaking out.

In December 2022, a 24-year-old woman was struck with a car and killed at an illegal street takeover event in Hyde Park.

On January 29, a shooting occurred at a street takeover event in the Compton area, with four people hospitalized for what were described as minor injuries.

It is not clear if either of those takeovers were organized by Quintana.

Quintana was booked and released from custody at the LASD Paramount station and faces multiple felony charges.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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