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Newly released Florida Highway Patrol dashcam video captured a state trooper racing toward a street takeover that had shut down Interstate 75 before weaving through hundreds of stopped vehicles and launching a high-speed pursuit that authorities said reached 140 mph.
The footage began with the trooper racing down the interstate with emergency lights flashing and sirens blaring before encountering a sea of stopped vehicles blocking all northbound lanes near mile marker 266 in Thonotosassa around 1:30 a.m. Saturday.
As the patrol vehicle reached the scene, people could be seen running between vehicles while others scrambled back behind the wheel.
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Motorists slowly moved aside as the trooper worked through hundreds of stopped vehicles before accelerating after a fleeing green BMW driven by 25-year-old Yulian Lugo.
Authorities said Lugo accelerated to approximately 140 mph – about twice the posted speed limit – before exiting the interstate.
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The dashcam then showed the trooper following him into what appeared to be a residential neighborhood, where Lugo eventually pulled over without further incident.
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The trooper ordered Lugo out of the BMW before placing him in handcuffs.
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Moments later, two passengers stepped out before sitting on the hood of the patrol vehicle as the trooper secured the scene.
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Lugo was arrested and charged with aggravated fleeing to elude and participating in a street takeover, both felony offenses, authorities said.
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Three passengers – a 24-year-old and two 18-year-olds – were also ultimately arrested and each was charged with misdemeanor highway racing. All four were booked into the Hillsborough County Jail.
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Investigators said the incident began around 1:30 a.m. Saturday when hundreds of vehicles blocked all northbound lanes of I-75 while participants allegedly performed burnouts and other stunts in the middle of the interstate.
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Investigators alleged Lugo fled the scene as many of the vehicles dispersed when law enforcement arrived, triggering the pursuit shown in the newly released dashcam footage.
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The I-75 incident marked the latest in a series of takeover-related events that have drawn increased attention from Florida law enforcement this summer.
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In June, the St. Augustine Beach Police Department said it thwarted a planned “teen takeover” before it began after investigators used electronic monitoring to identify plans circulating online.
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Earlier this year, Orlando police also released video showing hundreds of riders on e-bikes swarming downtown streets, running red lights, blocking traffic and delaying an ambulance. Officers said the group created a significant public safety hazard and vowed to continue cracking down on similar incidents.
