A property along Walnut Grove-Thornton Road has become the site of recurring car sideshows that neighbors say have brought traffic jams, burning-tire smoke, trespassing and even a vehicle fire to their rural stretch of Sacramento County. Now, county officials say they plan to issue a notice of violation for the address and send their findings to the District Attorney's Office.
County spokesperson Ken Casparis told KCRA that code enforcement officers and Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies responded to the property at 14450 Walnut Grove-Thornton Road on a recent Saturday around 4 p.m. Casparis said the county's code enforcement division will issue a notice of violation carrying a fee and forward its findings to the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office. The station reported that the county had not provided the fee amount or specific details of the violations, and a referral to the DA's office does not mean charges have been filed.
Ron Galindo, who owns property across the street in Walnut Grove, told the outlet the most recent Saturday event drew well over 200 cars parked along the road. He said attendees blocked traffic and interfered with access to his storage yard, prompting him to place semi-trailers in front of his own property just to keep eventgoers from parking there. Galindo said he's worried someone could eventually be struck and killed on the road outside his property.
Smoke, Trash and a Burned-Out Car
Galindo also reported that burning-tire smoke from the events has spread beyond the site, and that attendees have urinated on neighboring properties and left trash behind, per the same account given to KCRA. Drone footage captured by the station showed a makeshift arena, tire marks scarring the pavement and a burned-out car at the property. Neighbors told the station a truck fire broke out after one of the sideshows, and cellphone video obtained by the outlet showed a truck engulfed in flames.
Galindo said enforcement efforts so far have done little to address the problems, and that he simply wants the events stopped. The gatherings have reportedly been advertised online — an Eventbrite listing promoted an event called “LEGAL PIT WARZONE: GTA” for September 12 at the same Walnut Grove-Thornton Road address, according to the Eventbrite page for the event.
Property Tied to Two Businesses
The station's report identifies Berkeley Property Investments, LLC as the property owner, with Mayra Garcia listed as the company's CEO. A separate business, Berkeley Ready Mix Services, Inc., is also located on the same property, with Ismael Gonzalez listed as its owner. As of publication, KCRA said it had not received a response from Berkeley Property Investments or Garcia.
The Sheriff's Office told the station it was still gathering information about its own response to the property, and a sheriff's spokesperson said the office was looking into why a sheriff's surveillance camera had been posted in front of the address. Those questions remain open as the county moves forward with its code enforcement process.
How County Code Enforcement Handles Violations
Sacramento County Code Enforcement investigates housing, zoning and vehicle-abatement violations across the unincorporated county, according to the agency's own guidance. The department notes it may pursue civil citations, criminal citations, removal of junk vehicles or demolition of dangerous structures when voluntary compliance isn't achieved, per Sacramento County Code Enforcement. A notice of violation specifically warns a property owner about the consequences of failing to address a problem, and the county may pursue the matter through County Counsel, the District Attorney's Office, or both, according to Sacramento County's complaints and violations guidance. The agency says it fielded more than 6,000 citizen requests for investigation in the prior year alone.
Part of a Broader Regional Problem
Sideshows have proven a persistent headache across the Sacramento region. In one earlier incident, more than 100 vehicles were involved in a series of sideshows that moved between locations throughout Sacramento County, according to police cited by The Sacramento Bee; that episode led to three arrests and 17 citations. A separate enforcement operation in September resulted in 52 vehicles towed, nine arrests and 204 citations issued across the Sacramento area, with Sacramento police, Elk Grove police and the California Highway Patrol later joining forces on another operation that towed nine vehicles.
Neighboring San Joaquin County has taken an even more aggressive approach, standing up a multi-agency task force aimed at shutting sideshows down before they start, according to CBS News Sacramento. A February 2024 crackdown there led to about 150 people detained and nearly 90 vehicles impounded, and on the first day of a more recent operation, deputies reported no active sideshows but still towed and impounded 60 vehicles and two motorcycles for violations ranging from traffic infractions to reckless driving. Back in 2018, a smaller Saturday-night enforcement effort in Sacramento County resulted in 10 impounded cars after sideshow spectators and vehicles blocked traffic, according to FOX40.
For now, the question of what happens next at the Walnut Grove property remains unresolved. The county has outlined its planned notice of violation and DA referral, but has not disclosed the fee amount, the specific violations at issue, or whether any further enforcement action is coming.
