Car stunts, alleged arson, gunshots: Sacramento police investigate rowdy weekend sideshows

Officers with the Sacramento Police Department said they are investigating sideshow events and related crimes that took place Saturday night and early Sunday morning in and near the city, including one incident in which a bystander’s truck was allegedly set ablaze.

Around 11:40 p.m., officers were made aware of planned sideshows within the city roughly two hours before they happened, according to department spokesman Officer Anthony Gamble. The department and partnering agencies responded to activity in North Laguna, North Highlands, Gardenland, South Natomas and Land Park totaling an estimated 200 participants, officials said.

Gamble declined to comment on how police learned about Saturday’s sideshow events in advance.

Gamble said the department received reports Saturday night and Sunday morning of shots fired, aerial fireworks and felony hit-and-runs. Each incident is being individually investigated, according to Gamble. No arrests were made nor citations issued, he said.

There is also an active arson investigation into a vehicle fire associated with the sideshow that took place at Bell and Norwood avenues, according to Sacramento Fire Department spokesman Capt. Justin Sylvia.

Officials said a bystander vehicle drove through the sideshow, and subjects came up and began vandalizing the vehicle. The driver was able to exit and get to safety, authorities said.

Multiple suspects then allegedly opened the doors of the vehicle, a truck, and lit it on fire, according to fire officials.

“This was an intentional set,” Sylvia said.

No injuries were reported, and the vehicle is a total loss, according to law enforcement.

“We want our community to feel safe,” Gamble said. “I know that some people probably don’t feel safe when this is happening in their community.”

Sideshows are illegal gatherings in which drivers will take over intersections, streets, stretches of freeway or parking lots to perform car stunts, and spectators often watch on foot.

Gamble said that the large number of cars and participants in sideshows has severe consequences for department staffing.

“We just didn’t have a lot of resources present to be able to address the way that we’d like to address it,” Gamble said. “With that being said, it doesn’t necessarily mean that because no citations were issued (or) no arrests were made at that time that they won’t happen at a later date.”

He said there are laws in place that allow law enforcement to seize vehicles after the sideshow should they identify that they were involved.

Gamble said sideshows sometimes pop up randomly, but he has noticed that they can happen around times of the year that center around car enthusiasts; he specifically mentioned the birthday of Paul Walker, best known for his roles in the “Fast & Furious” film series. Walker, who died in a car crash in Santa Clarita in 2013, was born Sept. 12.

“It does not need to be on our roadways,” Gamble said. “We really want the participants to understand there are legal ways to be able to do this. If you want to spin your tires, if you want to do doughnuts, there’s three locations very close to Sacramento that you can go to and legally do that.”

The department said in a statement these areas include the Sacramento Raceway Park, Sonoma Raceway and Thunder Hill.

This story was originally published August 7, 2023 at 3:06 PM.