TAKOMA PARK, Md. — Maryland lawmakers are fighting back against the epidemic of crazy driving at pop-up car rallies that are plaguing the DMV.
A chaotic meet-up in Takoma Park on Saturday is among the most recent incidents. Police reported that crowds at the intersection of East-West Highway and New Hampshire Avenue attacked police cars and one man was seen with a gun as vehicles with camera-wielding passengers hung out the windows of spinning cars.
Now state lawmakers are looking to Ocean City for lessons on cracking down on crazy driving.
One House bill would mirror previous legislation that gave police and courts in the beachfront city the power to compel court appearances and punish offenders with steep fines and license suspensions.
Witnesses who testified in a House of Delegates hearing this week reported only one citation was issued in Ocean City in 2023, after years of chaos and violence linked to car meet-ups.
The so-called "Street Racing and Exhibition Driving” bill would give the rest of Maryland's jurisdictions the same power, according to bill sponsor Del. Mary Lehman who represents portions of Prince George's and Anne Arundel counties.
"Right now you can pre-pay a fine," Lehman said. "But this would treat driving in one of these exhibition contests as what we call a 'must appear offense'. You would have to go face a judge, just as if you would if you got a DUI citation."
Another bill aims to categorize reckless driving as the criminal equivalent of randomly shooting a gun out a vehicle window. Penalties for such reckless endangerment can go to five years in prison.
That bill is supported by Montgomery County police Sgt. Patrick Kepp, who lost both legs trying to stop a wild driving incident on I-270 in October.
WATCH NEXT: Chaotic Takoma Park car meetup caught on camera
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