East County combats sideshows

By Jake Menez Staff Writer

REGIONAL East County law enforcement agencies are taking a fast and furious approach to cracking down on sideshows.

Sideshows are illegal gatherings in which groups of drivers take over intersections, city streets, stretches of busy freeways or parking lots to do tricks with their cars.

Across the state, COVID-19 has caused a sharp rise in illegal street racing activity as drivers took advantage of roads emptied by stay-at-home orders. In 2020, the California Highway Patrol responded to more than 25,000 calls involving illegal street racing activity statewide, an increase of more than 3,500 calls from the year before, according to District 46 Assemblyman Jesse Gabriel’s office.

Legislators have previously taken action against sideshows on the state level, with Gov. Gavin Newsom signing Assembly Bill 2000 last September. The bill expands the definition of a sideshow to include parking lots, where previous laws had limited the definition to exhibitions occurring on highways, and establishes penalties for those convicted of participating, including jail time and fines.

On a local level, each city has taken a hands-on approach to deterring sideshows from occurring.

Local authorities have taken different approaches to curbing illegal sideshow activities in recent months. As a result, Brentwood and Oakley police have reported a decrease in incidents.

Press file photo

Brentwood

Brentwood Police take both a proactive and reactive approach to combating sideshows, according to Sgt. Christopher Peart.

As a result, the city has seen less activity in the last couple of years, he said. In 2020 and 2021, see Sideshows page 5