Yesterday, the streets of Vallejo witnessed the roar and chaos of a sideshow when approximately 100 vehicles and onlookers converged at Sonoma Boulevard and Indiana Street, engaging in reckless driving antics. Vallejo Police Department (VPD), alerted by multiple reports of the sideshow, dispatched officers from their Patrol Division to respond to the situation. Aiding in their mission was the California Highway Patrol (CHP) Air Unit, which, from their vantage in the sky, located a black 2001 Ford Mustang at the heart of the disturbance, spinning donuts before escaping.
The airborne unit tracked the Mustang's flight away from the scene, guiding patrol officers to its location. After a brief pursuit, the vehicle was stopped near Mississippi Street and Napa Street, where the driver and his two passengers, all adult males hailing from San Bruno and San Francisco, respectively, were arrested. According to the social media post from the Vallejo Police Department (VPD), the driver, post-Miranda, admitted to participating in the sideshow out of boredom. Subsequently, all three men were issued misdemeanor citations, and the Mustang was towed, facing a 30-day hold.
In light of such actions, Governor Gavin Newsom has ratified a series of bills amplifying the crackdown on the illegal events that sideshows and street races are. Taking effect, Assembly Bill (AB) 3085 allows for the 30-day impoundment of vehicles used in such affairs, while AB 2087 enforces license suspensions ranging from 3-6 months for participants. Moreover, AB 2186 enhances existing penalties, extending them to speed exhibitions in parking lots, and AB 1978 permits police seizure of cars utilized in blocking streets for sideshows, irrespective of an arrest.
