MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Four people were arrested for reckless driving and doing donuts in the middle of busy streets in Southwest Memphis over the weekend. Two of the drivers had children as young as 10 months old in their vehicles.
Police are calling it the Infiniti War Take-Over Operation. They say it came in response to complaints from the community about dangerous driving.
A flyer circulating across social media was calling all Infiniti drivers to come out for an event that was supposed to take place in the parking lot of the former Crystal Palace skating rink on Saturday.
But that event never happened, because Memphis Police made sure it didn’t. A witness said the drivers turned around when they saw police waiting for them.
According to police, officers spotted a large group of vehicles leaving Crystal Palace on Third Street and Mitchell at a high rate of speed, running red lights and doing donuts in the middle of intersections.
Police say the pack traveled down multiple streets at high rates of speed until one of the vehicles, a white Lexus 250, crashed at Airways and Dunn.
See a Facebook Live video taken by a person allegedly involved. WARNING: Graphic language.
Leonard Ticey, Oneisha Godwin, Charance King, and Martez Wilkins were all arrested after police spotted them in separate cars all traveling at 70 miles per hour in a 35 MPH zone.
Ticey, 21, is being accused of driving the white Lexus. He was charged with reckless driving, disregarding traffic signals and speeding.
Ticey was released from jail on own his recognizance. His next court date is June 21.
Godwin, 27, is being accused of driving a Chevrolet Impala with fraudulent tags, no insurance and a suspended license. Police also found marijuana inside her belongings.
She was charged with multiple crimes including altering tags, forgery, possession of marijuana, and violation of state registration. Godwin’s bond was set at $1,000 bond.
Police say King, 34, was occupying a 2015 Infiniti Q50 with three children- ages 10, 9, and 11 months, inside. Crime records show that King also had marijuana inside the vehicle.
King was charged with possession of Marijuana, reckless driving, and no driver’s license. King bond was set at $100.
Wilkins, 22, was seen by officers driving a 2010 Infiniti G37 with no tags, police say.
Crime records state a 2-year-old was inside the Infiniti at the time of his arrest. His bond was set at $2,000.
Police stated all children were released to a family member and the vehicles used in these crimes were seized.
Wilbert Crawford, a concerned citizen, says the Crystal Palace parking lot is usually where drivers come to drag race.
“Since I’ve been here, I have seen one guy lose control and hit another car,” Crawford said.
