The Antioch Police Department said a 25-year-old male was arrested as police responded to at least three separate sideshows late Saturday night and into Sunday morning.
According to police, over the course of two hours, there were three sideshows involving multiple vehicles and hundreds of spectators.
The first sideshow was located at Lone Tree Way and Hillcrest Avenue. Officers were able to disperse the crowd and vehicles. One of the vehicles fled from the scene and crashed. Officers responded to the crash and detained the driver. A search revealed a loaded firearm. The driver was arrested, and his vehicle was impounded for 30 days.
The second sideshow was the intersection of 18th St and A Street. Officers were once again able to disperse the crowd and as a result another vehicle that was attempting to flee crashed. The driver was able to flee before officers arrived and the vehicle was found to be stolen. A second vehicle also crashed. The stolen vehicle was returned to their owner and the second vehicle was placed on a 30 day impound.
The last sideshow took place at the intersection of Hillcrest Avenue and Davidson. Officers were able to once again stop the sideshow and locate the main vehicle involved. The vehicle was determined to be an unreported stolen vehicle out of Concord.
The sideshows damaged several city poles in the various locations.
No other information was released.
Editors Note – Mayor Claimed Sideshow and Crime is Down on August 9
Mayors Comments from Aug 9:
“I want to remind the public for the last two years we have actually seen a reduction in large scale sideshows in this city because we have been proactive. Our proactive efforts were disseminated as a result of the racist text messages scandal. So, we have many issues who work to gather intelligence, I can’t tell you how or methods used, to gather intelligence to intervene. They have done a very good job of stopping sideshows from happening. Or, if we can’t stop them, it’s a sideshow detail where they are going to meet the individuals at where its going to happen and they are not going to make it to any intersection. So, we have been very good at shutting down sideshows, we have, ” explained Thorpe.
He continued.
“The reason we never brought back the spectator ordinance, which I had called for, was because we were doing so good and thought oh put it on the back burner. We will get to it when we can. But obviously we are at a point where we need it so that will be coming back,” said Thorpe. “I want to reiterate that sideshows have been reduced in the city and we have done a very good job of making sure they happen.”
He pointed out this did not include individuals who roam around in neighborhoods and spin tires or do donuts while stating the times he has caught people by taking pictures of license plates and turning them into police, most are not from Antioch—most recently kids from Fairfield.
Antioch does have the maxim in terms of fines, the state sets those rules,” says Thorpe. “We have the maximum so we can’t go beyond what we currently have. Those fines are $3,000 when the car gets towed, a fine, we are at the max so we can’t add anymore too it.”
He then pointed out when you see these sideshows and don’t see Antioch police respond, that is inaccurate as police do respond with drones where they show up with drones, capture license plates and then they show up—they do not catch them in the moment but they will eventually get caught and tow vehicles.
“I will continue to reiterate to the public you can come to Antioch with these sideshows all you want, we are going to end up finding you and you will be fined and will not be a happy camper because the fines are excessive in this city,” said Thorpe. “I don’t want the sideshows to become the narrative of the city, I want to make sure Chief Vigil understands sideshows are very important in this community in terms of dismantling them so if we can get that proactive detail back up again that was doing the investigative work to find who is organizing these, that worked very well.”
Stories on Sideshows:
- Aug 9 – Antioch Mayor Claims Sideshows and Crime is Down
- Aug 7, 2023: Santa Rosa suing 13 sideshow organizers $25K each for pollution violations (ABC7)
- Aug 6, 2023: Antioch Sideshow Damages Water Main, Vehicle Also Enters Delta Waters
- July 5, 2023: Updated: Hundreds Gather for Fourth of July Sideshow in Antioch
- May 12, 2023: Pico Rivera Passes Street Takeover Ordinance Allowing for Permanent Seizure of Cars
- Jan 25, 2023: Criminal Investigation Leads to 7 Arrests of Sideshow Organizers and Promoters
- Jan 12, 2023: Antioch Police Tow 2 Vehicles, 1 Citation in Latest Sideshow Response
- Dec 27, 2022: CHP Highlights New Laws in 2023
- Dec 14, 2022: Brentwood Police Chief Comments on Recent Sideshow Activity
- Sept 23, 2022: Bill to Crack Down on Street Racing and Illegal Sideshows Signed by Governor
- May 16, 2022: Antioch Mayor Says Council Will Take Up Policy to Target Sideshow Spectators
- May 15, 2022: Antioch Police Respond to Two Sideshows, Officers Vehicles Attacked
- May 3, 2022: Pittsburg City Council Agrees to Fine Sideshow and Street Racing Spectators
- April 14, 2022: Oakley Police Say Vehicle Attacked in Response to Sideshow Event, Firearm Recovered
9 comments
I’m noticing a trend regarding stolen vehicles at these side shows….
” three sideshows involving multiple vehicles and hundreds of spectators.” and somehow they managed to arrest 1 person, outstanding police work Antioch.
“I want to remind the public for the last two years we have actually seen a reduction in large scale sideshows in this city because we have been proactive”
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Ok Mayor, wink wink.
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You allow ghetto, then you get ghetto.
Side note, our mayor as usual is full of himself and C..P. organized sideshows continue to be persistent. But no one comments on individuals who perform sideshows every day and night throughout our community. The arrest numbers are unfortunate but citizens can lay the abysmal numbers at the feet of our feckless mayor. He has never been a supporter of our PD and in fact has made efforts to defund it. So, bull s..t and lie all you want mr. mayor, thinking citizens are on to you and your total disregard for the safety of our community. Our only hope is the next election you and anyone serving on our Council gets dumped. Sorry if this offends anyone but Antioch has seen enough.
Clarification, anyone serving on our Council that’s supports our feckless mayor’s position relative to lack of support for our dedicated men and women in law enforcement gets dumped. Sorry
Antioch city employees seen cleaning massive amts. of tire debris at Summersville & James Donlon Blvd on Mon. 9/25/23. I have called many times upon hearing the squeels of cars as they go one st. to the next. Sick of it! If a motorcycle hits the tire remnants, another pointless death/injury in Antioch. Any tire stores for sale in the area? What about signs (we are WATCHING you) and cameras to be followed up by cops?
Is he serious I have never seen this many side shows since I moved to antioch in 1997 is our major in another world town country?
Today 9-27-2023 on Canada Valley, broad daylight a white Infinity was doing donuts at Mc Farlan as I watched and waited. He sped toward Laurel and at the next intersection made a couple more donuts. Again I waited. He then sped towards Laurel and by the time I got there more donuts while a car East Bound on Laurel with a green light had to stop while the Yahoo made more donuts. When he or she finished he or she drove East on Laurel at a slow rate of speed, reveling in the fact he or she got away with it. I say he or she because the windows were blacked out and the driver couldn’t be seen. WONDERFUL! So go ahead mr mayor, keep telling us sideshows are down. Bovine Scatology.
It’s no secret that there is an element here that is intent on destroying the city and quality of life once enjoyed by Antioch residents. Too bad there’s also an element in city government that is intent on doing the same. Last name Thorpe.
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