A Brooklyn man was sentenced to two years in jail after pleading guilty to striking a 19-year-old woman with his vehicle while performing dangerous and illegal amateur car stunts in Patchogue in October 2024.
According to court documents and the defendant’s admissions during his guilty plea allocution, on October 6, 2024, at approximately 1:15 a.m., a large group of vehicles and people gathered at the Gateway Plaza in Patchogue to participate in or observe individuals performing amateur car stunts, including “doughnuts” and drifting.
A 19-year-old woman was standing in the parking lot observing the maneuvers when Matthew Mitchell’s white Infiniti struck the victim with the side of his car when he was attempting to perform a stunt. Mitchell then fled the scene before police arrived. The victim was taken to a local hospital and treated for a fractured pelvis and femur.
On October 15, 2024, Suffolk County Police detectives, with the assistance of the New York City Police Department, located and arrested Mitchell. Further investigation revealed that, at the time of the crash, Mitchell’s license had been revoked and was suspended six times on six separate dates.
On December 11, 2025, Mitchell, 20, pleaded guilty before Acting Supreme Court Justice Steven A. Pilewski to the following charges contained in the indictment:
- Assault in the Second Degree, a Class D violent felony
- Leaving the Scene of an Incident Without Reporting, a Class E felony
- Reckless Endangerment in the Second Degree, a Class A misdemeanor
- Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle in the Second Degree, an Unclassified misdemeanor
- Reckless Driving, an Unclassified misdemeanor
On January 22, 2026, Pilewski sentenced Mitchell to two years in jail.
“We will not tolerate illegal street takeovers in Suffolk County. This two-year jail sentence for seriously injuring a bystander will hopefully deter anyone who thinks participating in illegal street takeovers is harmless entertainment,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney. “These illegal gatherings terrorize neighborhoods and degrade the quality of life in our community. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to crack down on these dangerous and unsanctioned events.”