Cars towed, 147 cited, bottles hurled at police at Oakland sideshow

Police issued more than 100 citations to drivers and bystanders early Sunday during a large, rowdy Oakland sideshow that resulted in spectators breaking windows of surrounding businesses and throwing bottles at officers, authorities said.

Officers were dispatched to the sideshow at about 2 a.m. near the intersection of High Street and Foothill Boulevard and discovered people busting area windows while cars careened throughout the street in front of a crowd of onlookers, according to the Police Department.

Bystanders also threw bottles at officers as they attempted to intervene, police said.

Authorities towed 30 cars and issued 147 citations, police said. No drivers were arrested.

Sideshows are gatherings of drivers who perform stunts, including spinning doughnuts in the road, often with drivers and passengers hanging out of car windows and open doors.

The sideshow comes a week after a Richmond police officer suffered serious injuries while attempting to break up a similar gathering of nearly 50 cars in Richmond. As police attempted to stop cars for vehicle violations, the driver of a sedan accelerated toward an officer who was on foot and rammed into him.

Two teens were arrested the next day — the alleged driver faces charges for attempted murder, and the other faces conspiracy charges. The suspects, alleged driver Juan Vargas, 18, and Genesis Diaz-Castaneda, 18, were booked at the Martinez Detention Facility. Vargas’ bail is set at $600,000, while Diaz-Castaneda’s bail is $270,000.