'Craziest birthdays I’ve ever had,' OKC business owner and attorney speaking out following mass arrests

The owner of a metro business is speaking out after he and more than 100 others were arrested Saturday. They're accused of gathering illegally for a street takeover.

“As soon as I said I’m the owner, they said put your hands behind your back, took me to the car, I was in there for six hours,” said Raul Anaya, owner of Rocket Wrapz.

Raul Anaya says he was hosting a free community event that consisted of an initial car meet and later his birthday celebration at his shop. And while he admits to doing donuts on a public street, he claims no one participated in a street takeover.

“A real street takeover is in a real intersection, blocking off your lights in the street, street. I get we did a little wrong by doing donuts, but we did it safely at a dead end,” said Anaya.

Anaya was one of hundreds of people who had gathered at his business, Rocket Wrapz, for his organized event that was open to the public. He says his birthday celebration, limited to 21 and older, was about to get underway when police rolled in with their guns drawn.

“They covered all around as if I was this big criminal,” said Anaya.

Anaya claims a lady operating a snow cone stand was among the 154 people arrested.

“I told them my wife, kids, my brother, a pregnant lady—she was placed in cuffs,” said Anaya.

Attorney Jacqui Ford is representing Anaya and several others who were arrested.

“The terror that Oklahoma City police rained down upon children, mothers and young people is offensive,” said attorney Jacqui Ford.

Using zip ties to arrest partygoers, they were transported to the Oklahoma County Detention Center, where many remained for more than 24 hours.

“Incarcerating 150 people in one of the deadliest jails in the country? Shame on them. That jail has been a nightmare since I began practicing in 2006,” said Ford.             

Ford says the alleged crimes don't align with the punishment.

“The level of uncertainty could be hanging over their heads for weeks and months to come, which makes it hard to put one foot in front of another,” said Ford.

“This has been the craziest birthdays I’ve ever had,” said Anaya.          

For the past several months, police have made it clear—they're cracking down on so-called street takeovers, saying they have a zero-tolerance policy.

Police told News 9 a 90-to-180-day hold was placed on impounded vehicles. According to their owners, they could be charged a minimum of $40 a day.

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