South Carolina’s relatively new crackdown on street takeovers has resulted in an arrest in Sumter, where police say a local man organized and promoted an August gathering on Atlantic Avenue. The case is also generating debate over where authorities should draw the line between preventing dangerous driving and allowing people to gather in public.
The Sumter Police Department identified the man as 35-year-old Eric Olander Johnson and said he turned himself in on September 8. Police say Johnson was booked at the county detention center after officers obtained a warrant for his arrest.
According to the department, investigators identified Johnson as an organizer and promoter of a “street takeover” held along Atlantic Avenue on August 27. Police did not provide specific details about what Johnson is accused of personally doing during the event, and the investigation remains ongoing.
The arrest comes after South Carolina enacted its Roadway Protection and Safety Act, which defines street takeovers and establishes potential consequences for organizers, promoters, and participants. Police say involvement can result in misdemeanor or felony charges, fines, imprisonment, and even the seizure of vehicles connected to an event.
South Carolina’s New Law Targets More Than Drivers
Media embed below; please give the content a moment to load.
Sumter Police described street takeovers as gatherings that are often promoted through social media before bringing large numbers of vehicles and pedestrians into public spaces. According to the department, drivers at these events can engage in drag racing, burnouts, and other stunts that create potentially dangerous conditions.
The department also noted that these gatherings can take place without the permits required for events using city streets, sidewalks, parks, rights-of-way, and other public property. Sumter requires events on city property to receive preapproval at least 12 weeks in advance, according to police.
We searched Johnson’s information against the inmate records available through Sumter Police, but were unable to find a matching record. As a result, we could not independently obtain additional public booking information about his arrest, including details about his bond or current custody status.
Comments and Reactions to the Sumter Street Takeover Arrest
Some commenters questioned whether the gathering described by police warranted an arrest, with one asking, “Hasn’t Sumter PD ever heard of a block party?!” Another zeroed in on the permit requirement itself, joking, “It ain’t really a takeover if you have to have a permit, is it?”
Others raised more serious concerns about how the state’s new law will be enforced and whether simply organizing a gathering should be enough for criminal liability when other attendees engage in dangerous behavior. One commenter argued that authorities should charge people who drag race, perform burnouts, block traffic, or endanger others while questioning whether organizers should automatically be held responsible for those actions.
Not everyone opposed the police response, however, with one commenter pointing to the serious injuries and deaths that can occur at street takeovers and suggesting Sumter Police were trying to prevent similar incidents locally. Another commenter described the gathering as enjoyable based on what they had seen and noted that nobody was hurt, but suggested holding a future event on private family property instead.