CINCINNATI — Multiple people have been indicted for their role in a street racing incident from August, Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich said.
Pillich announced the indictments Tuesday of five men, who have each been charged with street racing and failure to comply with an order or signal from a police officer.
The five men charged are:
- Jarrett Prater, 22
- Joshua Ludlum, 20
- Dartanion Battle, 24
- Devin Metts, 26
- Isaiah Klein, 24
Four of the men are from various neighborhoods in Hamilton County, while Prater is from Hamilton up in Butler County.
Pillich said those indicted are from a group of more than 60 people who have driven dirt bikes and ATVs throughout downtown Cincinnati, performing wheelies and burnouts. She said Cincinnati police officers have attempted to stop the group several times as they've run red lights, blocked traffic and driven on sidewalks.
The indictment charges are from an incident along Reading Road on Saturday, Aug. 23. The indictments bring the total number of people charged from the Aug. 23 incident up to 15. Previous people were charged on Sept. 10.
"Throughout the summer, I have heard numerous complaints about dangerous street takeovers like this," Pillich said. "This is not a game. These reckless actions endanger not only the riders, but everyone around them."
The prosecutor's office said the five men charged posted their street racing on social media and in text messages, with police collecting more than 4,000 videos related to the case.
If convicted, each man faces up to five years in prison for the felony charge of failure to comply with a police order. The street racing charge carries a sentence of up to 180 days in jail.
Early in August, Cincinnati police cited three other drivers and impounded three vehicles believed to be connected to street takeovers near downtown.
Street takeovers have been a concern in downtown Cincinnati for multiple years. Last year, we spoke to people living at The Banks who said "every night of the week" they hear cars peeling out and making excessive noises.
Cincinnati City Council previously passed a resolution to support a House bill that ups the penalties for people participating or spectating in street takeovers. That measure has since been signed into law by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine.
