A Night of Drag Racing and Auto Meet-Ups

Police officials said they responded early Sunday morning to five different locations in Philadelphia for reports of illegal street racing, drifting, and other large-scale meet-ups.

The following accounts are based on comments from state and Philadelphia police officials:

1. Shortly after 1 a.m., at Bustleton and Philmont Avenues, motorists took over the intersection along with a crowd of hundreds. Dozens in the crowd threw bricks and other objects at police vehicles that arrived on the scene. No officers were injured, but one pedestrian was physically assaulted. The suspect in the assault was also involved in another meetup earlier, at Roosevelt Boulevard and Torresdale Avenue.

2. Also shortly after 1 a.m., officers responded to reports of drag racing at the 500 block of Byberry Road. As police arrived on the scene, the driver of a Dodge Charger backed his car into a police car, and then drove around several more police vehicles before fleeing to Montgomery County. No officers were injured.

3. At 2:30 a.m., officers responded to a report of gunshots and drag racing at North Broad and York Streets. As police approached in their vehicles, several people in the crowd threw flower pots and other debris at the officers, shattering the windshield of one police car. No injuries were reported.

4. At 3 a.m., police responding to a report of a car meet-up at the 2400 block of N. Broad Street encountered an intoxicated 19-year-old male attempting to flee in his vehicle. The suspect became irate and attacked an officer who was investigating. The officer was injured and the suspect was taken into custody.

5. At 3:24, Pennsylvania State Police officers responding to reports of a car meet-up and shots being fired on I-95 near Penn’s Landing found numerous vehicles and pedestrians blocking the highway. Two officers noticed an Audi S4 parked on the shoulder with its license plate obscured. Four people entered the car, and police positioned their vehicle in front of the Audi and approached on foot. The driver of the Audi, 18-year-old Anthony Allegrini Jr., “failed to yield,” according to state police, and struck two troopers with his car. One officer shot through the windshield, striking Allegrini, who was later pronounced dead by fire department medics on the scene. The two troopers suffered minor injuries.