More than 50 arrested at car show in San Bernardino
More than 50 people were arrested at an Inland Empire car show over the weekend for their alleged connection to an assault on a San Bernardino County deputy in May.
The arrests happened on Saturday afternoon, when dozens of people had gathered at an abandoned property in Adelanto, according to a statement from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.
Deputies say that Saturday's arrests stemmed from an incident that happened in Highland in May, when a mob of people at a street takeover were caught on camera as they kicked, punched and tried to rip a deputy out of his patrol car.
"As the deputy attempted to disburse the crowd, spectators surrounded the marked Sheriff's patrol vehicle and proceeded to vandalize the patrol vehicle," said a statement from SBSD. "The spectators damaged the windshield and body panels of the patrol vehicle. Investigators identified the participants of the street takeover in Highland and discovered they were related to car clubs in the High Desert area."
Investigators say that High Desert car clubs have shown similar behavior at street takeovers, with various members of the clubs posting videos of driving stunts, sometimes in stolen cars, and openly displaying guns.
"As a result of the investigation, several search warrants were served in the city of Victorville," deputies said. "The search warrants yielded stolen firearms and a stolen Dodge Hellcat."
On Saturday, as part of the Operation Consequences crime suppression movement, personnel from the Victorville, Victor Valley, Apple Valley and Hesperia Stations, as well as Sheriff's Gangs/Narcotics Division units conducted a "suppression operation" at the property in Adelanto, where they found members of the car clubs performing sideshow maneuvers, the statement said.
Deputies arrested 56 people overall, 19 of which were juveniles. All 37 adults arrested were taken to the High Desert Detention Center where they were cited and released.
Juveniles were also cited before being released to their families, deputies said.
Twenty-three cars were towed and a stolen Chevrolet Camaro was recovered.
"This type of recklessness won't be tolerated in San Bernardino County," said Sheriff Shannon Dicus. "Arrests will be assured, and cars will be impounded if these street takeovers continue."
