Tustin street takeover attracts 100 vehicles; driver arrested

A “sideshow” and street takeover in Tustin overnight attracted about 100 vehicles, blocked traffic at an intersection in all directions and led to a pursuit early Saturday morning, police said. A juvenile driver was arrested.

Around midnight, Tustin police received several calls regarding a street takeover in the area of Newport and Del Amo avenues.

“Officers located approximately 100 vehicles at the intersection blocking all directions of traffic with one driver doing burnouts in the intersection,” Tustin police said on Facebook. “Officers attempted to stop one vehicle after the driver made several unsafe and illegal driving maneuvers.”

The driver didn’t stop, police said, and they pursued the vehicle on the 55 and 5 freeways.

Eventually, the driver yielded to authorities in Santa Ana and was taken into custody without incident. The driver, a juvenile, was arrested on suspicion of evading police, reckless driving, and several other traffic offenses, and the vehicle was impounded.

No additional information about the incident was immediately available on Saturday.

In sideshows, participants shut down and take over streets or freeways for such car stunts as burnouts or donuts.

The phenomenon has existed for years around California. In the last several weeks, sideshows in Orange County have been stopped on the 57 Freeway in Anaheim and major streets in Huntington Beach, authorities said.

“Lately, we are seeing an increase in organized car meet ups often involving reckless driving,” police said in their Facebook statement. “Let it be known – Tustin PD and the Tustin community do not tolerate these unsafe behaviors which endanger the motoring public.”