PITTSBURGH — A man is wanted by police after they say he took part in a dangerous street takeover in Oakland.
University of Pittsburgh Police are calling the situation a “street takeover,” which is when cars gather, stop traffic on city streets and do burnouts and donuts.
The most recent one happened at Bigelow and Forbes in Oakland, right next to Schenley Plaza. Tire marks still remain on the street from the burnouts.
“It’s a lot of danger for people outside the car, inside the car, and an unfortunate situation, honestly,” Mohammed Massad of Oakland said.
A video of the “takeover” shows a similar event, but with a ring of fire in the middle of the road.
When we showed the video to people in Oakland, they weren’t impressed.
“It’s just not cool. It doesn’t make you cool. I don’t want to see it, I don’t want to be friends with these people. It’s not worth it,” Tess Marchesin of Oakland said.
Police now have a warrant for Devon Malter, who they say was behind the wheel of a truck with an American flag on its tailgate that was captured on camera participating in the takeover.
Channel 11’s Gabriella Deluca spoke to Malter. When she asked him why he participated, he said he was “just being stupid.”
Investigators say Malter didn’t have a license and drove away from officers when they tried to pull him over.
He said he wasn’t planning to attend the event, but as he was driving that night, he saw cars speeding in that direction, so he joined.
“I cross here every day, and there are still kids who live here and they’re out in the middle of the night doing crazy stuff, so who knows what kind of accidents they could get into,” Marchesin said.
Malter is facing a felony charge, and there’s a warrant for his arrest.
He said he plans to turn himself in.
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