Caught On Tape: Truck Does Donuts On Busy 210 Freeway
SYLMAR (CBSLA) -- It was a strange sight to be sure.
A truck doing donuts on the busy 210 Freeway Saturday evening in Sylmar.
Cellphone video captured the truck doing donuts on the 210 -- near the 118-- just after six p.m.
Cars stopped while others pulled dangerous stunts, as well.
Lars Svanoe was in his vintage Corvette when he was stuck in the traffic for more than 10 minutes.
"My car ends up getting damaged. I blew a radiator hose and got stuck on the freeway," Svanoe said.
The CHP and LAPD got plenty of calls about these dangerous illegal car shows -- on the freeway and surface streets tonight.
"I couldn't see all that was happening other than plumes of smoke. And then it started happening on the opposite side of the freeway of both east and west bound," Svanoe said.
Lt. Greg Houser is the watch commander at LAPD Foothill Division and he noticed things brewing on his drive to work.
"Coming down the 5 Freeway – there were already groups flying the flag. Driving in groups. So I kind of suspected it was going to be a busy night," said Houser.
Shutting down a freeway to do burn-outs and donuts has been popular in recent years. And police say the stunts are recorded as a way to show off on social media.
During the traffic jam this evening, you could see spectators standing on the concrete dividers. There were also some walking along the shoulder of the freeway.
But Svanoe says the danger can happen away from the action -- when someone driving along may not realize what's ahead.
"Maybe they don't pay attention. Starts a chain reaction of an accident at the back of the pack. And that just pushes forward and hurt people too," Svanoe said.
Police told Nguyen you don't have to be participating in the illegal stoppage of traffic on the freeway as a driver to be ticketed or cited. They said they can ticket you or impound your car for being a spectator at an illegal car stunt shows.