CLEVELAND — Three people have been indicted by a Cuyahoga County grand jury for allegedly participating in a "street takeover" in Cleveland's Ohio City neighborhood last month.
According to a release from Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley, Akron 18-year-old Gauge Franklin, Barberton 20-year-old John Dietrich and a 17-year-old male from Norton were indicted on multiple charges connected to a street takeover on West 25th Street and Lorain Avenue on Sept. 15, 2024.
Franklin was arrested last week, while Dietrich was taken into Cleveland police custody on Tuesday. Police issued an arrest warrant for the Norton 17-year-old.
“These street takeovers are ruining the quality of life for our citizens,” O’Malley said. “My office will continue to aggressively prosecute any street takeover cases referred to us.”
Franklin and Dietrich were indicted on the following charges:
- One count of Aggravated Riot
- One count of Disrupting Public Services
- One count of Inducing Panic
- One count of Arson
- One count of Criminal Damaging or Endangering
The 17-year-old faces the following charges:
- One count of Aggravated Riot
- One count of Disrupting Public Services
- One count of Inducing Panic
- One count of Arson
- One count of Criminal Damaging or Endangering
According to police, Franklin, Dietrich and the 17-year-old were involved in shutting down the intersection of West 25th and Lorain as about 20 vehicles created a roadblock, did donuts and prevented traffic from flowing. Police say the blockade slowed down an ambulance on its way to a hospital.
The three are also accused of lighting a ring of fire at the intersection that several "unidentified participants" stood inside during the street takeover. According to the prosecutor's office, Franklin drove Dietrich and the 17-year-old to the intersection, then the 17-year-old took a fire accelerant out of the car and poured it in a circle before Dietrich lit the fire.
The 17-year-old allegedly put the fire accelerant back in the car and the three fled the scene after police arrived. They were linked to the street takeover via "social media evidence and surveillance footage," according to O'Malley's office.
The indictment comes as Cleveland responds to a recent spate of similar street takeovers in the city. Two weeks after the Sept. 15 takeover in Ohio City, police responded to takeovers in at least seven different locations throughout Cleveland. Mayor Justin Bibb previously told 3News he is "frustrated" with the persistent issues, prompting his administration to create a new task force and make adjustments like street milling to Cleveland roads to prevent takeovers.
This week in an effort to crack down on the takeovers, Cleveland City Council introduced legislation that would amend the city's street racing laws to prohibit additional actions such as blocking intersections, burnouts, donuts, drifting, stunt driving and wheelies.
