West Sacramento police broke up a side hustle in a mostly residential neighborhood Friday evening and ultimately arrested four juveniles suspected of involvement.
Police wrote on Facebook that the sideshow – the term used for illegal vehicle stunt exhibitions – took place in the area of two parallel streets: Kegle Drive and Julian Drive. When officers arrived, they saw “a large group of people” and about 30 vehicles, including a Dodge Charger doing donuts at an intersection. Officers tried to stop the driver, who took off at high speed.
Officers decided not to start a pursuit because the area was busy, police said. A 2022 Sacramento Bee investigation found that police vehicle pursuits are dangerous and that a large number of them result in injuries or even death. Often the victims are innocent bystanders.
Police said the Charger was traveling about a mile away and was near the studios of KOVR-TV, known as CBS 13, on Reed Avenue when the driver crashed the car. Officers arrested four people, all under the age of 18, who they say fled the vehicle. According to police, the car was stolen in Modesto.
The department said in a statement that the investigation was ongoing.