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10-16-2025 12:50am
Local, State Police Cooperate to Stop Street Takeovers in Communities Like Westwood
Darlene Cancell
Editor
Westwood Police received reports of a large gathering of over 100 vehicles in Westwood on Sunday, October 5th, but its participants peacefully departed, in contrast to reports of a similar gathering in Randolph two hours earlier, where participants reportedly lit fireworks on a cruiser and struck police cruisers with objects and their fists.
Around 3:20 a.m. on Sunday, October 5th, Westwood Police responded to the parking lot of Wegmans supermarket on University Avenue following the report of around 100 vehicles gathered there, doing donuts.
Upon arrival, Westwood Police observed 30 vehicles in the parking lot. Police report that as they arrived, cars immediately were clearing out of the parking lot, onto University Avenue, departing peacefully.
According to Westwood Police Lieutenant Michael DiLalla, after an officer attempted to stop one vehicle - a red Honda - for a motor vehicle infraction, it fled. A police cruiser pursued the red Honda onto University Avenue, and toward the Interstate 95 South onramp, but police lost sight of the car, said Lt. DiLalla.
Lt. DiLalla notes that the recent gathering in Westwood on October 5th is believed to be related to the Randolph gathering that occurred two hours earlier. In the Randolph incident, Randolph Police reported that over 100 people gathered with their cars at the intersection of Oak and North Main (Route 28) streets. Individuals wearing masks reportedly struck police cruisers with their fists and objects, and sat or leaned against cruisers that were attempting to navigate the area. Fireworks were lit as the individual(s) sat on the hood of a police cruiser, placing the officer inside in “extreme danger,” say Randolph Police.
The October 5th gathering of vehicles in Westwood’s Wegman’s parking lot is the latest in a number of similar events that police say have occurred in the parking lot of Westwood’s University Station shopping center since the center opened ten years ago. Occasionally, Westwood Police have responded to early morning reports of a large number of vehicles gathering at the site, and vehicles drag racing on University Avenue.
Recently, around 12:45 a.m. on August 9th, Westwood’s emergency dispatchers were flooded with calls reporting that over 100 cars and people had gathered in the Wegmans supermarket parking lot. Callers told police that the cars were racing and responding police observed the vehicles doing donuts and spinning tires. The gathering scattered once police arrived. The group is believed to have left Westwood and travelled together to Walpole, Boston, Revere, and Everett, where they also had interactions with police.
Newton Police report a similar gathering of cars taking over city streets on August 2nd. Newton Police described the group as engaging in dangerous behavior, but noted that no injuries resulted.
On Wednesday, October 8th, Governor Maura Healey directed Colonel Geoffrey Noble of the Massachusetts State Police to use state police resources to cooperate with local police. She asked state police to assist local police in the effort to identify, apprehend, and punish offenders who put the community in danger when they attempt to take over streets and drag race.
“Whether you’re in Massachusetts or you think about coming to Massachusetts, you are not welcome to engage in that conduct at any time in any place. If you do it, we’re going to find you and we will hold you accountable to the furthest extent of the law,” said Governor Healey.
There is a task force currently working to identify the drivers involved in these gatherings, says Lieutenant DiLalla.
