PHILADELPHIA (September 26, 2024) — The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office announced on Thursday that Deonte Vincent (DOB: 07/02/1999) is charged with multiple offenses for his participation in a dangerous vehicle meetup that occurred in the city’s Northeast section on the evening of Saturday, September 21, 2024, amid multiple so-called ‘drifting’ events across the city this past weekend.
Philadelphia police responded to a tip about an illegal vehicle meetup in a Pep Boys parking lot near the 7400 block of Bustleton Avenue. As PPD units arrived, suspects began fleeing in their vehicles in multiple directions. Responding officers managed to stop and detain several suspects. At this point, defendant Deonte Vincent, who was driving a blue Dodge Charger, ignored officers’ commands to stop. He sped towards several officers, nearly striking them, before hitting a vehicle that had stopped in compliance with law enforcement as he exited an alleyway. The collision injured one of the witnesses sitting in the stopped vehicle.
Officers were able to record the defendant’s license plate before he escaped, linking the defendant to the vehicle in question. Officers at the scene identified Vincent as the driver of the Dodge Charger. He was subsequently charged with two counts of Aggravated Assault (F2); three counts of Simple Assault (M2); one count of Possession of an Instrument of Crime (M1); three counts of Recklessly Endangering Another Person (M2); two counts of Disorderly Conduct (M3); two counts of Fleeing Police in Vehicle (M2); one count of Accident Involving Death/Injury (M1); and related summary offenses. This defendant will be prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney William Sandman of the DAO’s Carjacking Enforcement Unit.
Vincent is currently in custody on $1.5 million bail and has a preliminary hearing scheduled for October 11.
Philadelphia police continue to investigate other vehicle meetups that occurred over the weekend, in collaboration with the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office and other public safety partners. Numerous additional arrests are expected.
“The Krasner administration takes these criminal drifting and car meetups, which clearly pose a threat to public safety, very seriously,” said DAO First Assistant Robert Listenbee. “We’re grateful to City Council for arranging funding for our Carjacking Enforcement Unit, which is also tasked with prosecuting these cases, as well as our ongoing collaboration with the Philadelphia Police Department. We will continue to work with all stakeholders to ensure those who engage in this behavior are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“I want the individuals who wreaked havoc on our city’s streets over this weekend — many of you from outside of this city — to know that we will find you and we will prosecute you,” said Assistant District Attorney Kimberly Esack, Supervisor of the DAO’s Carjacking Enforcement Unit. “The PPD, in collaboration with our office, are using every resource at our disposal to ensure that you are held accountable for your reckless, dangerous behavior.”
Members of the news media may use these images provided by the Philadelphia Police Department’s Criminal Intelligence Unit in their coverage.
CONTACT:
Dustin Slaughter, [email protected]
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The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office is the largest prosecutor’s office in Pennsylvania, and one of the largest in the nation. It serves the more than 1.5 million residents of the City and County of Philadelphia, employing 600 lawyers, detectives, and support staff. The District Attorney’s Office is responsible for the prosecution of approximately 40,000 criminal cases annually. Learn more about the DAO by visiting PhillyDA.org.