Troopers said aerial footage captured the moment a black Ford Mustang hit a pedestrian before speeding away.
TAMPA, Fla. — The Florida Highway Patrol troopers shut down a coordinated street takeover in Tampa after they said a driver performing stunts in a crowded intersection struck a pedestrian and fled.
FHP said this happened just before 12:30 a.m. Saturday at the intersection of Air Cargo Boulevard and West Ohio Avenue, where a large group of vehicles had gathered that were blocking traffic.
An aviation unit monitoring the scene reported that drivers were engaging in dangerous maneuvers, including drifting and performing doughnuts in the roadway.
Troopers said aerial footage captured the moment a black Ford Mustang hit a pedestrian before speeding away. The aviation team alerted ground units and tracked the vehicle as it left the area.
Patrol units later intercepted the Mustang on West Woodlawn Avenue and conducted a traffic stop. The driver, 21-year-old Nicholas Johnson, and his passenger, 19-year-old Brianna Vergara, were taken into custody.
During questioning, Johnson reportedly admitted to participating in the takeover and hitting a man with his vehicle.
Officials said they could not locate the man who was hit, believing that he may have left the area due to possibly being involved in illegal activity.
The vehicle was photographed as evidence, and both Johnson and Vergara were transported to the Hillsborough County Jail without further incident. They were bonded out later that day.
Johnson was charged with unlawful racing on the highway while engaged in coordinated street takeover, leaving the scene of a crash with injury and reckless driving.
Vergara was charged with unlawful racing on a highway as a passenger in a street takeover.