Over 100 vehicles involved in illegal sideshows throughout Sacramento County, police said

Rosalio Ahumada
·2 min read
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More than 100 vehicles were involved in a series of so-called sideshows Sunday afternoon that moved from location to location throughout Sacramento County, police said.

Authorities arrested three people involved in two police pursuits as a result of Sunday’s sideshows, the Sacramento Police Department announced Monday afternoon. Officers issued 17 citations as law enforcement officials responded to reported illegal events.

Sideshows are “illegal gatherings in which groups of drivers take over intersections, city streets, stretches of busy freeways and/or parking lots to do tricks with their cars, including burnouts and doughnuts,” The Sacramento Bee has previously reported. Groups of spectators can reach into the hundreds, often blocking even more traffic lanes. Some sideshows go on for hours, while others clear out in minutes to avoid law enforcement.

Sacramento police were joined by the Elk Grove Police Departments and the California Highway Patrol in Sunday’s enforcement action. Authorities towed nine vehicles.

A law enforcement operation targeting sideshows in September led to 52 vehicles towed, nine arrests and 204 issued citations in the Sacramento area. The operation was carried out over a few days.

A little over a year ago, authorities broke up a sideshow event in Sutter County, where 40 to 50 vehicles gathered for reckless driving and street racing along a rural road.

Law enforcement agencies in Yolo County teamed in April 2022 to stop a sideshow event around Main Street Woodland, where people gathered in 200 to 300 vehicles. The previous weekend, officers from four Sacramento-area police agencies impounded 28 vehicles, made nine felony arrests, confiscated four guns and issued 28 citations as they busted a large sideshow along Northgate Boulevard in Sacramento.

On Monday, Sacramento police said area agencies will continue to conduct “maximum enforcement” actions at these illegal events and remind residents that participating in sideshow events can result in vehicles being impounded and lead to fines and penalties up to and including a suspended driver’s license.