Justin Chin of Tisbury has been arrested and charged for allegedly racing a car through Five Corners in Vineyard Haven at over 60 miles an hour early Sunday morning .
Livestream footage from a nearby camera from Sunday, owned by Go Martha’s Vineyard, showed two cars speeding down Beach Road into Five Corners at 1:55 am before one of them careened into a set of rental vehicles while trying to drive onto Beach Street.
Chin was arraigned on Monday at Edgartown District Court.
Tisbury Police Chief Chris Habekost said the driver was charged with operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, racing a motor vehicle, marked lanes violation, and speeding; Habekost said he was traveling 65 mph in a 20-mph zone.
“This incident is currently under investigation as to the specific details of the second vehicle involved, therefore the police report is not available for release,” Habekost said in an email.
Habekost said there was “apparent minor injury to [a] passenger.” Chin was driving a 2011 Chrysler 300. Habekost did not provide details of the other vehicle and driver under investigation.
On Monday morning, the rental car lot owned by A-A Island Auto Rental in Vineyard Haven showcased a scene of damage, with vehicle parts and glass scattered on the ground and a mangled row of hedges. Passerby stared in awe at the aftermath of the crash, which included a dirt-covered white Toyota Corolla, a pair of Ford Broncos with broken rears, and four more damaged cars, including a crumpled 2025 MINI Cooper.
Dale Walker, a neighbor to the rental shop, was one of the first to see the “devastation” on Sunday, and said he saw police helping someone on the other side of the road.
“My mouth was wide open. I had no idea what to do,” said Walker, who notified the business owner of the incident at the time.
Keith Hohmann, an employee of the rental shop, said he was “completely shocked” to see the damaged vehicles. “I never imagined someone would have that much speed going through [Five Corners],” he said.
Hohmann said the company was still assessing what could be salvaged after the incident, but the eight cars damaged by the driver were 2024 and 2025 models. The 2025 red MINI Cooper had just arrived on the Vineyard on Saturday, and had only eight miles on it.
It’s not the first time the rental agency property has been struck by a vehicle; a car struck the building in 2021.
