The 88 cars seized during Northern California sideshow may never return to owners
STOCKTON — The 88 people who had their cars impounded during a sideshow operation in Stockton over the weekend may never get them back.
That is because San Joaquin County Sheriff Patrick Withrow said they just got 88 warrants to search the 88 vehicles that are now securely locked away at the sheriff's office, and they are not just looking for evidence of drivers doing donuts.
"They are looking in the vehicles to see if there is any contraband. Are there drugs? Are there guns? Is there any evidence of other crimes?" said local attorney Justin Ward.
This could mean more charges than just misdemeanors.
"People brought their children to this event, so it's a criminal charges against child endangerment," Withrow said.
California Vehicle Section 23109 addresses speed exhibitions, sideshows and drag races, but Stockton also wrote its own law. It considers the vehicles involved in sideshow activity as "nuisance vehicles." Ward said this gives law enforcement agencies the green light to seize the cars of both the speedsters and spectators immediately.
How long can they keep the cars? Ward said under Stockton law, permanently.
"They can sell it, and the money would go to the city," Ward told CBS13.
Withrow has not determined what will happen to the cars after the searches and charges are filed.
Congressman Josh Harder from the 9th District said he is working on a bipartisan bill, titled the "They're Fast, We're Furious Act," that would create an FBI task force to work with local agencies and enforce the penalties.
"It is like whack a mole for law enforcement to try and get every single sideshow shut down," Harder said.
Withrow said, this time, his trained task force and neighboring agencies were ready to respond.
"Last time we tried to intervene in this, they threw rocks and bricks," Withrow said. "Could have killed the officer driving by there."
This time, more than 150 people were detained. Withrow hopes this sends a clear message that they will not stand for sideshows in Stockton.
Withrow told CBS13 that one deputy was injured during the sideshow crackdown, but he is now doing fine.
"The car sped in between the two cars, hitting his door and slamming it into him," Withrow said. "But we build them tough here in San Joaquin County and he's doing fine."
It may take days or even weeks before the sheriff's office goes through every single one of the 88 vehicles. They will be video recording each search and may need to take fingerprints in some cases before they determine what each person will be charged with.
One person was spotted cruising close to the fence where the cars are stored at the sheriff's office, and it turned out his car was one that was impounded.
"They tried to make up a story that they were from an internet news source, but we identified them later as being at the crime scene," Withrow said.
Ward told CBS13 that Stockton's law on sideshows also allows law enforcement to seize and keep vehicles even if a relative or roommate is the one who took the car.
"If you went to that sideshow and you ran because you didn't want to get caught by the police, but you left guns in the car or drugs, well, now you're facing possession of a firearm in the vehicle, possession of drugs," Ward said.
A misdemeanor charge for a first offense is $500 to $1,000 and up to six months in county jail, Ward said. A repeat offense is a minimum of $1,000 plus some jail time. However, people may be facing more charges depending on what is found when investigators finish searching the cars.
"Anytime these people come back here again and try to do this, we are going to be waiting for them. and we are going to do the exact same thing," Withrow said.
