On March 26th, 2025, Governor Mike Kehoe signed into law HB 495. While most of the attention focused on the creation of a citizen-led board to oversee the St. Louis Police Department, there are other aspects of the law as well.
HB 495 creates the new crimes of Stunt Driving and Street Takeover. Stunt driving involves drivers performing donuts, burnouts, hill jumping, and other stunts with vehicles.
The Missouri Department of Public Safety says that “street takeovers” involve acts where participants block roads and intersections for the purpose of performing such stunts with their vehicles. Momentum for the law was created after a 15 year old boy was shot and killed at a “street takeover.”
Stunt driving and street takeovers will now be specific crimes under state law. The first offense is a Class B Misdemeanor. The second offense is a Class A Misdemeanor. The third and subsequent offense is a Class E Felony.
HB 495 also allows certain Missouri cities to enact ordinances that would subject to forfeiture the vehicle of a person whose license to operate a motor vehicle was suspended or revoked because of two or more violations of stunt driving or street takeover where the person was driving and another person was injured or killed.
Under Missouri law, a Class B Misdemeanor can result in up to 6 months in jail. A Class A Misdemeanor can result in 1 year. A Class E Felony can result in 4 years.
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