Authorities have seized more than a dozen vehicles and made two arrests in connection with two illegal public stunt-driving events that caused tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage in various San Diego-area neighborhoods, police said Thursday.
The illicit automotive exhibitions, a type of underground entertainment known as street takeovers or "sideshows," took place last winter and this spring, according to the San Diego Police Department.
The first occurred on Feb. 24, 2023, at intersections in Barrio Logan, downtown San Diego, Kearny Mesa, La Jolla Village, Mira Mesa, Otay Mesa and Spring Valley, and resulted in roadway damage estimated at nearly $24,000, SDPD Lt. Deana De Los Reyes said.
The other happened on March 10 of this year, taking the form of an unpermitted car meet in a Target parking lot on Mira Mesa Boulevard. That event led to more than $15,000 worth of property damage, De Los Reyes said.
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This week, officers with the SDPD and California Highway Patrol impounded 13 vehicles that allegedly had been used in the illegal events and arrested two people on suspicion of reckless driving, speeding and felony vandalism in the case, according to police. The suspects' names were not immediately available.
"These sideshows put innocent community members at risk of death or serious injury while causing thousands of dollars in damage to roadways and private property," the lieutenant said. "Those responsible for these reckless events will be arrested and fully prosecuted."
Spectators at such events also may face criminal charges, De Los Reyes noted.
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Last weekend, San Diego police thwarted two planned street-takeover driving exhibitions -- one about to get underway at Gloria Street and Ocean View Boulevard in Lincoln Park, the other at Cedar and Grove streets in South Park, according to the SDPD.
“It’s like every night, there’s a motorcycle revving — vroom, vroom, vroom and I think in the middle of the night there’s a lot of cars doing the donuts there,” said La Jolla resident Peggy Ma.
Ma lives near University Town Center and Genesee Avenue.
She’s no stranger to the sound of revving engines and screeching tires, a dangerous trend San Diego police say they have been trying to tackle for some time.
“They do meet up in La Jolla, then they’ll move to Mira Mesa, Poway," said Detective Sgt. Eric Drilling from SDPD's Northeastern Division.
“They’ll show up in an intersection, they’ll take it over and do donuts, shoot out fireworks, we’ve had our helicopter be fired at with fireworks before," Sgt. Drilling said.
The property and roadway damages for both events are estimated to exceed $40,000.
“It’s a social thing, where they get together, show off their cars, brag to each other about different modifications they’ve done, different stunts they’ve done, so I think that’s what drives it a lot,” Sgt. Drilling said.
NBC 7 showed video of the illegal street takeovers to UTC-area resident Lewis Bush.
“It basically puts the neighborhood a little bit in danger, just for some people to have fun, which is not cool," Bush said.
