An unsanctioned car takeover “event” killed two people over the weekend and left a small town on the New Jersey shore in shock. The “H20i” meet-up drew several cars and plenty of people looking for action, and unfortunately, that played out in countless irresponsible acts that destroyed property and turned deadly.
Two pedestrians, an 18-year-old and a 34-year-old were killed in Wildwood, New Jersey, when Gerald White slammed into a car and then people with his 2003 Infiniti. White was charged with two counts of assault by auto, leaving the scene, and other charges may come later. His attempt to flee was thwarted, so he clearly had no intention of sticking around to face justice.
People crashing while doing burnouts while leaving car shows are one thing, but street takeovers and completely unplanned events like H20i on public roads put everyone in danger. Police in California and other states have so far seemed ineffective against crowds that can gather quickly and be gone in an instant. Law enforcement is frequently two steps behind the groups, which use social media to reorganize cars across locations rapidly.
Police in the small New Jersey town and surrounding areas are working to prevent further incidents by placing officers in parking lots and other gathering locations. Hundreds gathered in a Lowe’s Parking lot in Middle Township, New Jersey, a few days before the deadly crash. Stopping the action in Wildwood took officers from a few surrounding precincts, though, so it’s clear that law enforcement has some catching up to do.
