An early morning sideshow that briefly turned the westbound lanes of the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge into a stunt arena is now costing several drivers their cars. The California Highway Patrol said yesterday it has impounded 14 vehicles believed to be connected to the December 27, 2025 incident, and those cars will sit in the lot for 30 days.
A San Francisco Superior Court judge had signed off on seizure orders for up to 16 vehicles linked to the sideshow, which blocked traffic while people stood in live lanes, lit fireworks and watched reckless driving. Several pedestrians were cited at the scene, and at least one man was arrested, according to officials.
According to KTVU, the CHP’s San Francisco office started getting 911 calls about the sideshow at about 2:28 AM on December 27, east of Treasure Island. Investigators later used video and other evidence to match specific vehicles to the chaotic scene and secure court orders to seize them.
KTVU reports that officers wrote citations for several pedestrians who were in the roadway, and that one man was booked into San Francisco County Jail on charges that included resisting, obstructing or delaying an officer.
“Sideshows endanger everyone on the roadway,” CHP Capt. Tim McCallister said, adding that seizing these vehicles is part of our ongoing commitment to keeping the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge safe for the traveling public, according to KTVU. The agency publicly thanked its Golden Gate Division for helping with the investigation, the station reported.
How investigators tracked the cars
In earlier cases, investigators have leaned on bridge and traffic camera footage, along with license plate data, to identify drivers who take part in illegal stunt driving. They then go to court for seizure orders that let them impound vehicles linked to the activity.
CBS Bay Area documented a similar operation in 2024, when CHP used camera footage near the Bay Bridge to build a list of vehicles tied to a sideshow, then seized those cars under court orders.
City lawmakers weigh tougher penalties
At City Hall, San Francisco supervisors have been weighing whether current penalties are strong enough to deter sideshows. Proposals on the table include tougher fines and broader impound powers for stunt driving offenses.
A November 13, 2025 Board of Supervisors committee transcript shows officials discussing raising the maximum misdemeanor fine and expanding seizure authority, moves aimed at making both spectators and participants think twice before helping shut down city streets. The debate is detailed in the official Board transcript.
CHP officials say the latest round of impounds and court-ordered seizures is part of ongoing enforcement meant to protect people using the bridge, while investigators continue tracking any remaining vehicles tied to the December 27 sideshow. The agency’s warning to would-be participants is blunt: show up for an illegal sideshow, drive in it or help it happen, and you risk citations, arrest, and losing your car for a month.
