300-car sideshow leads to one arrest

California Highway Patrol officers responded to calls of several hundred cars spinning in circles and driving recklessly outside Stockton, eventually arresting one person.

The officers arrived at Jack Tone Road and Copperopolis Road to find 200 to 300 cars gathered and a few doing donuts or “ghost riding.” Multiple attendees were confrontational, according to a CHP Facebook post on Saturday, though most vehicles eventually dispersed without issue.

A lone Honda driver remained behind, aggressively spinning and taunting officers, according to the Facebook post. CHP officers attempted to stop the Honda as it drove away but were cut off by a Ford, which turned into the left side of the patrol car before accelerating.

The Ford driver stopped about a mile later under pursuit and was arrested. CHP did not describe the driver’s charges in the Facebook post and did not respond to requests for comment.

The car stunt happened sometime on the weekend of Nov. 18, according to the CHP post.

The intersection’s rural location east of Stockton has attracted unsafe driving in the past as well. A car sped over an irrigation ditch and smashed into a walnut tree in June, killing all three people inside and slicing the vehicle in half, according to The Record.

Hundreds of cars swarmed to three separate sideshows earlier this month in Sacramento, including one that shut down eastbound Highway 50 for 10-15 minutes. Police issued dozens of citations and arrested one person at the largest stunt, which featured about 500 cars and 1,000 people.

This story was originally published November 29, 2017 at 7:13 AM with the headline "300-car sideshow leads to one arrest."