Community
Peachtree Corners Takes Down ‘Street Takeover’

Published
3 years agoon

Coordinated efforts by several local law enforcement agencies sent a message that mayhem won’t be tolerated here.
Anyone who’s been caught in the mayhem of an illegal street takeover can attest that the speed of the cars, the noise, smoke and adrenaline of the crowd can make a ten-minute occurrence feel like a nightmare. An unsuspecting motorist recalled her encounter with a street takeover around 7:30 p.m. on Easter (April 17) at a busy Peachtree Corners intersection.
“We had an unfortunate front-row seat to some sort of very carefully planned event that took place in the intersection of Peachtree Parkway and East Jones Bridge/Medlock Bridge,” she wrote on Nextdoor.
She described how about 75 cars stopped traffic both ways on 141 (Peachtree Parkway). The license plates were taped over to avoid identification by the city’s newly installed plate readers. They took turns doing “donuts” and other crazy stunts. Tires were squealing and sparks were flying. There was a good deal of smoke as well. They also set off fireworks adding to the chaos.
It was a spontaneous event, the Nextdoor poster recalled, it appeared to be very well planned. There were also people in cars taking videos. One couple was standing on top of their car.
“Honestly it was terrifying to me. I was unable to get out of the area but I did back up a bit to put some distance between us and the action. I was in the turn lane trying to go left on E Jones when the light turned red and I stopped right where it was all going on,” she wrote.
When a lone police car showed up, the group started to break up and go their separate ways. The poster was able to continue to her destination, but not before being shaken up and scared for her safety.
“The possibility of injury or death was real. Kids (teens or young adults) were hanging out of the windows of the cars which were going crazy fast. Kids were all over the area where the stunts were taking place. Of course, all the people like us who were caught in the incident were in danger of being hit as well,” she added.
This type of scenario isn’t unusual and law enforcement officials across the country are concerned that as spring stretches into summer, there will be more of these incidents.
Recently, an effort among several Gwinnett County agencies thwarted a large takeover on Sunday, May 1 which resulted in 88 arrests. Responding to the intersection of Peachtree Corners Circle and Spalding Drive, officers blocked 26 vehicles. Gwinnett County Police and officers from nearby Norcross and Lilburn as well as off-duty officers from surrounding areas were on hand to lend assistance.
When the smoke cleared, 68 adults and 20 juveniles were taken into custody. The cars were impounded and five handguns were found. Nobody was hurt, but a pizza delivery driver who got caught in the middle of the madness had his car’s windows broken.
“This exceptional response and coordination amongst numerous agencies achieved incredible results. The Gwinnett Police Department recognizes the hazard these illegal street racing activities pose to the motoring and pedestrian public,” the police department said in a release. “These dangerous and reckless activities will not be tolerated. We are committed to keeping the streets of Gwinnett County safe for all residents and visitors.”
City of Peachtree Corners officials echo that sentiment and vowed to keep the streets safe.
Although often referred to as “street racing,” there’s very little actual racing involved, Peachtree Corners City Manager Brian Johnson said during a podcast of “Peachtree Corners Life,” a product of Peachtree Corners Magazine.
“As a reminder for those who don’t understand … what we’re talking about these [are] really intersection takeovers. … There is a degree of street racing in it. Not necessarily like two cars racing each other like Fast and Furious but street racing that cars [are] doing aggressive driving in the interest of sensationalism,” said Johnson.
He said besides doing it for the thrill, these “car clubs” create videos and post them on YouTube.
“The more outrageous the event is, the more views they get. The more views they get, the more money they get from ad revenue. And the more money they get, the more they can pimp their cars,” Johnson said. “They will take over an intersection by basically timing when they all hit usually wide, four-way signalized intersections because they need a lot of real estate in the middle and they all will have cars that stop at the light.”
The lead drivers will go into the middle of the intersections and do outrageous stuff. They do drifting circles, donuts and all sorts of dangerous tricks. These aren’t trained stunt drivers and they could easily lose control of the car. And as the Nextdoor poster described, the perpetrators often try to make the spectacle flashier with fireworks and sometimes shooting guns.
Although it isn’t unique to Peachtree Corners or even the state of Georgia, they happen all over the country. He went on to vow that the city along with law enforcement won’t tolerate the activity here.
After the Easter incident, Johnson had a conversation with Gwinnett County Police Major Edward Restrepo, who is the precinct commander of the West Precinct. Officers that patrol Peachtree Corners are out of that precinct. Johnson and Restrepo talked about putting an end to the street takeovers.
“You can imagine that this is a very resource-intensive thing to stop,” Johnson said. “If you remove the … discharging of a firearm component, these are … misdemeanors only.”
And when the participants flee, there is a county-wide policy against the pursuit of drivers that are not in the commission of an active felony or violent crime. So when officers show up, everyone gets away. Oftentimes there’s a scout further down the road that radios the group that the police are coming.
The two men identified a few locations where they put high-definition video cameras. The trap was set. Then early Sunday morning at approximately 4:49 a.m. Gwinnett County communications received a call referencing street racing activities occurring around Peachtree Corners Circle and Spalding Drive. West Precinct officers responded in a coordinated approach from different areas to the intersection. They put down spike strips to impede drivers from getting away.
Although the crimes won’t merit huge fines or lengthy jail time, Johnson said he hopes it sends a message that Peachtree Corners is serious about keeping people safe.
“A couple of months ago … there was the sense that there’s really nothing you can do because it’s a misdemeanor [and] the policy is not chasing after misdemeanors,” said Johnson. “It was just one too many times.”
Johnson added that he hopes the fines and impound fees will be enough of a deterrent to keep the street takeovers out of Peachtree Corners.
Anyone who has information about these incidents or any other crime is asked to call detectives at 770-513-5300 or Crime Stoppers, which lets tipsters remain anonymous, at 404-577-8477. More information is available at stopcrimeATL.com. There is a cash reward offered by Crime Stoppers for information that leads to an arrest and indictment.
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Arlinda Smith Broady is part of the Boomerang Generation of Blacks that moved back to the South after their ancestors moved North. With approximately three decades of journalism experience (she doesn't look it), she's worked in tiny, minority-based newsrooms to major metropolitans. At every endeavor she brings professionalism, passion, pluck, and the desire to spread the news to the people.

Community
The PCBA Awards $500 to Light Up The Corners at After-Hours Event
Published
10 hours agoon
May 28, 2025The Peachtree Corners Business Association (PCBA) awarded a check for $500 to Light Up the Corners at their May 2025 Business After Hours event.
Light Up the Corners, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit, organizes the annual Glow Run and Twilight Trot — a nighttime, community celebration that’s equal parts race, fun run, party and fundraiser.
This year’s event is scheduled for Saturday, August 16 at The Forum in Peachtree Corners. The 1K Twilight Trot will start at 8 p.m., and the four-mile Glow Run will begin at 8:30 p.m. After the runners have crossed the finish line, a fun, post-race party will follow.
All proceeds from the Light Up the Corners event go to benefit less fortunate children and families in the community by giving them the chance to participate in life-enhancing programs and activities at the Fowler YMCA.
A history of charitable donations
PCBA’s donation to Light Up the Corners will help the organization meet its goal of assisting struggling families through their Why It Matters campaign. It’s the latest in a series of donations that PCBA has made over the years through their community outreach program.
“We are so proud that the PCBA has awarded 20 scholarships to outstanding future business leaders and donated in excess of $173,500 into our metro Atlanta community over the last 13 years,” said Lisa Proctor, PCBA board president.
Funds for PCBA’s community outreach program are raised throughout the year from PCBA membership, sponsorships and Tailgates and Touchdowns, an annual charity event they hold each August. Donations and scholarships are awarded at their Business After Hours events so that their members have the opportunity to learn more about the community organizations.
About Peachtree Corners Business Association
The Peachtree Corners Business Association is a business membership organization that focuses on innovative approaches, programs, shared resources, community outreach and opportunities for member businesses and professionals to connect, develop, grow and prosper.
The PCBA is made up of businesses of all sizes and types that want to expand their reach and grow their business within Peachtree Corners and the greater metro Atlanta area.
For more information call 678-969-3385, email membership@peachtreecornersba.com or visit peachtreecornersba.com.
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Atlanta welcomed over 60,000 fans of cosplay, comics, gaming, anime and music over Memorial Day weekend — all meeting up at the Georgia World Congress Center to celebrate MomoCon 2025 and its 20th year in the city.
One of the fastest growing, all-ages conventions in the country, this year’s numbers topped the 56,000 guests that attended in 2024, and was estimated to have a $42.2 million impact on the metro area.
Equally important, the buzzing enthusiasm and pure joy of the weekend — from both attendees and featured guests — was unmatched. Everyone seemed to be having an incredible time.
Fan-favorite comic book artists
Comic book artists (and original members of the former Atlanta-based Gaijin Studios), Cully Hamner and Brian Stelfreeze made their first appearances at MomoCon this year, invited to attend and show off their work in the Artist Alley. Fans lined up to meet them, along with fellow award-winning artist and longtime friend, Wade von Grawbadger, to get photos, autographs and artwork and spend a few minutes chatting with the guys.
Hamner talked briefly about an upcoming project, “Ruby Actual” that he’s doing with Greg Rucka. “Not sure when it will come out,” he said, “But we’re hoping first quarter 2026.”
In the meantime, comic fans can continue to enjoy his previous work — the acclaimed, creator-owned RED (which was adapted into two films), the current Blue Beetle (also adapted to film) and all of the other work he’s done for DC, Marvel and other publishers over the last 30 years. They can also look forward to his return to MomoCon in the future if schedules work out.
“This has been a lot of fun,” Hamner said on Sunday, the last day of the convention. “I’d love to come back if they invite me again.”
Stelfreeze agreed. “I enjoyed [MomoCon],” he said. “I really liked seeing the younger audience.”
That definitely seemed true on Sunday, as the crowds had thinned out some and Stelfreeze had more time to hang out and talk with people who stopped by the Essential Sequential booth. With some fans, he spent ten minutes or more discussing art, comics and other topics, and even came out from behind the table at times to meet people and say hi to old friends.
Featured guests
Other featured guests also drew long lines of fans who were eager to meet their favorite creators.
Darryl McDaniels (from RunDMC and now a comic book and children’s book author), Greg Burnham (Norcross-based comic book writer known for his indie comic hits), Reed Shannon and Mick Wingert (voice actors and stars of Netflix’s “Arcane”), Ryō Horikawa (Japanese voice of Vegeta in “Dragon Ball Z”), veteran voice actor and producer, Chris Sabat, and online personalities such as Damien Haas were just a few of the standouts.
In fact, as the convention was winding down on Sunday afternoon, Haas’ fan line was still so long, the crowd filled multiple rows of the cordoned-off autograph area, both inside and outside of his designated line.
A full list of 2025 celebrity guests can be found here.
New for 2025
While most of the fun features of MomoCon 2025 were returning favorites — Artist Alley, Exhibitor’s Hall, panels, movie screenings and the cosplay showcase —convention organizers kept things fresh with a new theme (‘90s Retro) and a few new highlights, including a skating rink, an expanded online gaming area and the return of the “Bring Your Own Computer” section.
Workshops on everything from miniature painting and D&D to Gunpla modeling, as well as live performances and a massive vendors area and fan car showcase rounded out the exciting weekend.
Though tired from a whirlwind weekend of geek culture camaraderie and large (but super friendly) crowds, we can’t wait to see what MomoCon has in store for 2026.
For more about MomoCon, visit momocon.com.
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City Government
Peachtree Corners Hosts Discussion About the Future of Local Policing

Published
2 weeks agoon
May 12, 2025Although crime isn’t on the rise, and the Gwinnett County Police Department (GCPD) is fulfilling its role in fighting crime, the City of Peachtree Corners is asking residents, business owners and city stakeholders if they believe the city should form its own police department.
With over 100 people in attendance, City Manager Brian Johnson led the discussion about the future of policing in Peachtree Corners. He presented the findings from a survey conducted by the Center for Public Safety Management (CPSM), a nationally-recognized law enforcement consulting and training firm, as well as information about patrol officer staffing, response times, costs to tax payers and a potential timeline.
Ensuring public safety
Johnson kicked off his presentation by explaining that it is the duty of the mayor and city council to ensure public safety, including reviewing law enforcement.
“Maybe it needs to grow, maybe it needs to change its focus. But city council is the one that has the decision-making responsibility,” he said.
He was also adamant that this isn’t a done deal.
“I hit this point already, but I want to hit it again. This is the start of a conversation, a community conversation and feedback to council. There hasn’t been a decision,” he said. “Council has not received this presentation from me. They’re here to watch and learn from your feedback of this.”
Mayor Mike Mason was present at the meeting, along with all of the city council members except Eric Christ who was out of town and watching remotely.
Issues and obstacles
Johnson explained that the grounds for the inquiry were based on issues about communication, access to information and enforcement of city-specific ordinances. He cited an example where a city rule that private residences can’t be rented on a short-term basis like Vrbo or Airbnb wasn’t enforced by GCPD. An owner tried to circumvent the ordinance by only renting the outside of the house. A loud pool party ensued, and frustrated neighbors dialed 911.
“Officers showed up and they said, ‘We can’t enforce the city’s noise ordinance,’” Johnson said.
The first stage to fix this problem was creating the marshal program to bridge the gap between code enforcement and GCPD.
“[We thought] they would be able to enforce both local ordinance and state law, since they are a function of the city, and they could maybe be a force multiplier for Gwinnett since [marshals] don’t have to respond to 911 calls,” said Johnson.
But other issues arose shortly after the department was formed.
“We were still working towards getting that good balance, but we have been faced recently with a couple of things that make it harder for us,” said Johnson.
Seeking shared access
Instead of GCPD giving PTC marshals read-only, quick access to incident reports, dispatch calls and other information, the marshals department was required to file open records requests through the same process as any civilian.
“They were denied, as well as the city of Sugar Hill, [when] asked for the ability to see, not change, but see the computer-aided dispatch information, so that they would know where Gwinnett County police officers were; so that they could avoid stepping on their toes or maybe looking to support their efforts, and they haven’t been granted that,” said Johnson.
He added that the GCPD has video cameras on certain roadways that are used for various reasons, and law enforcement can use them when there’s crime in the area. Peachtree Corners marshals were denied access to those cameras.
“Conversely, we have a couple hundred cameras in the city, and we definitely want them to have access to them,” said Johnson. “So the frustration out of not being able to get that symbiosis between the marshals and police made us start thinking, all right, you know, is there another option?”
Community feedback
CPSM utilized data from GCPD to discern if Peachtree Corners could feasibly stand its own force. It also took into consideration crime trends, costs and many other factors. It recommended a 55-officer department, costing $12.1 million annually, with a $2.2 million upfront cost.
Comparing the two options to “renting vs. owning” the primary law enforcement agency in the city, Johnson presented pros and cons for each. Once the question-and-answer portion began, there was no obvious choice. Men and women, young and more advanced in age, had both similar and differing opinions.
One young man, who identified himself as a local small business owner named Alexander, argued that with artificial intelligence increasing the efficiency of administrative tasks, perhaps the city wouldn’t need a full 68-man department of civilians and sworn officers.
Some accused the city of devising a solution in need of a problem. Others were concerned that paying approximately $100,00 for a study was throwing good money after bad.
But at the end of it all, the city is continuing to seek feedback and is encouraging everyone to make informed decisions. The meeting was taped and is available on the city website along with Johnson’s PowerPoint presentation, a copy of the study done by CPSM and a survey.
As far as a timeline goes, city officials would like folks to take the summer to mull it over and come back in the fall to take another look at the proposal.
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