Two Pennsylvania suspects arrested in Prince George's County street takeover case

Two Pennsylvania men now face charges after a weekend street takeover that started in Prince George’s County and spilled into Silver Spring, where drivers blocked East West Highway and Connecticut Avenue, spun donuts in the roadway and damaged two marked Montgomery County police cruisers.

Montgomery County police said they were notified at about 12:39 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026, of a large group of vehicles linked to the takeover as it moved toward the Silver Spring central business district. By then, officers had already been monitoring the convoy and had closed most of the intersections it was headed toward. Several people got out of their cars and stood in the intersection, preventing police from moving in until the scene was cleared.

No officers were injured, but one cruiser was hit hard enough that the rear window and windshield were smashed while an officer was inside. Maryland State Police helped clear the area after the takeover spread across county lines, underscoring how quickly these rallies can pull in outside agencies and drain local resources.

Before the event reached Montgomery County, Prince George’s County police and Maryland State Police recovered three handguns during traffic stops tied to the broader weekend operation. Prince George’s County police later announced two arrests connected to the activity, and both suspects were from Pennsylvania. Gus Roth, 22, of Hanover, was charged with having a handgun in a vehicle. Blake Miller, of East Berlin, was cited on 17 traffic violations and had his vehicle impounded.

Prince George’s County police said they issued 15 citations and impounded two vehicles in connection with the incident. County leaders have cast the enforcement push as part of a larger effort to stop car rallies that are not just dangerous, but increasingly costly to police.

Police Chief George Nader has said these events go far beyond reckless driving and have been linked to shootings, murders and a woman being severely injured after being struck by a vehicle. Montgomery County patrol chief Darren Francke said the rallies pull officers away from 911 calls and warned that current penalties are not enough to stop repeat behavior.

Both counties are part of the Maryland Car Rally Task Force, a regional enforcement effort that includes police agencies from Prince George’s, Montgomery, Howard and Baltimore counties, Baltimore City and Maryland Transportation Authority Police. In March 2026, Prince George’s County Council Member Wanika Fisher introduced CB-12-2026, a bill that would make it illegal to knowingly attend an illegal car rally or street takeover, with penalties of up to 60 days in jail and fines of up to $1,000, and tougher punishment if someone is hurt. For now, the two arrests, the handgun recoveries and the damaged cruisers show a coordinated response, but the real test will be whether police and lawmakers can turn one weekend of enforcement into a lasting deterrent.