6 arrested after participating in sideshow
A large sideshow in Vallejo on Saturday night has resulted in six people being arrested and facing felony charges.
Vallejo police officers responded to multiple calls of sideshow activity at Tennessee Street and Maple Avenue as well as Sonoma Boulevard and Lemon Street, according to a VPD news release. Officers arrived to find more than 100 people blocking an intersection to watch cars spinning donuts.
The crowd immediately threw objects at the six officers and sergeant that responded. One of the windows of a VPD patrol vehicle was also shattered.
CHP Air Support arrived to assist VPD officers with two pursuits that resulted from the sideshow. One of the vehicles was deliberately blocking officers to prevent a response and committed a hit-and-run while fleeing from officers. The other vehicle was spinning donuts.
“Common regard for our fellow community members should be a top priority for a city already in distress,” Vallejo Chief of Police Shawny Williams said in the release. “It is disheartening that participants and spectators alike lack such regard. We cannot tolerate this lawlessness in our city. Sideshows can cause serious injury and can be deadly. Blocking intersections prevents our citizens from traveling safely and diverts our precious resources from helping other people in need.”
Six people were arrested on felony charges, including the hit-and-run driver. Angelo Landford, 21, and Payton Pinkela, 19, both of Fairfield, were arrested as were Eric Cacho, 26, Devon Dipinto, 22, Cesar Dominguez, 26, and Mario Velasco, 24, all of Sacramento.
There were multiple, separate charges among those arrested including: hit and run, evading police, sideshow aiding and abetting, reckless driving, and conspiracy.
The sideshows created a sometimes heated conversation on the Vallejo Happenings Facebook web page, with some people like Michael Sparks saying, “Rubber on the streets are better than blood and bodies. Change my mind” while others on the same page have had enough of the violence the sideshows are bringing to their respective neighborhoods.
“Take their vehicles away for a minimum of a year, along with their license suspended and 30 day jail time,” Gary Michael Niduaza said. “No plea deals, no leniency and if their under 18 their parents do the time!!! No more nonsense!!! No more sideshows!!!”
Nick Odell wrote, “Make them pay to resurface the roads that they destroy.”
Roxann Reyes went even further, but wondered if more could be done. “With all the surveillance Vallejo police department has, how come they don’t get license plate numbers and tow the cars during or when they get home? The cars are on video with all the surveillance. Vallejo go get the cars impounded for 30 days. If they can’t get the cars out, put the car up for auction and put the money back into the city for all the damages.”
Earlier this month, VPD asked for Vallejo City Council support in addressing proposed solutions to dangerous sideshow and illegal firework activity in Vallejo. On July 4, sideshows occurred in multiple locations throughout Vallejo from approximately 7 p.m. through 1 a.m. with a reported total of approximately 1,000 participants, according to a VPD news release. The sideshows also occurred in at least 11 locations that lasted well after midnight.
In June, San Jose leaders unanimously passed a new ordinance that makes it a crime to promote, instigate or encourage an illegal street racing event or sideshow online, becoming what is thought to be the first city in the U.S. to do so.
Violators could be charged with a misdemeanor and face fines of up to $1,000, six months in jail or some combination of the two.
“Don’t come to San Jose — that’s the message,” said councilmember Maya Esparza.
The new measure marks the city’s latest attempt to deter people from participating in dangerous and reckless driving, racing and performing stunts on San Jose roads and parking lots, especially in events that tend to attract crowds of galvanizing spectators.
At least eight people, including participants and innocent bystanders, have lost their lives in recent years in suspected street racing events across San Jose. Most recently, 19-year-old Jamie Pech was killed in a crash on June 11 in South San Jose when he and the driver of another vehicle both swerved off the road and smashed into separate trees during what police believed was a street race.
Only 43 percent of people cited for driving in or attending a San Jose sideshow in early 2020 were from the city of San Jose, according to data released by the department in March. The remaining 57 percent cited traveled to San Jose from more than two dozen cities across California, including San Francisco, Livermore, Los Angeles and Stockton.
Bay Area news reporter Maggie Angst contributed to this report.