More than 700 people cited in San Jose car stunt gathering

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Police in the San Francisco Bay Area cited more than 700 people who gathered over the weekend to watch and perform car stunts at San Jose intersections.

The San Jose Police Department said officers responded Saturday night to reports of “sideshows,” when people take over and block an intersection to perform stunts, happening in several places.

Officers impounded 19 cars and it will cost owners $4,000 to retrieve them, officials said. They also issued hundreds of tickets that can cost up to $1,000 and called the parents of 82 minors who were present.

The department says it also recovered a ghost gun and two stolen vehicles and it’s investigating a possible carjacking.

In a large and coordinated effort, officers detained and cited 500 people at the intersection of Monterey Highway and Branham Lane after blocking the cars from leaving, the department said in a statement posted on social media.

Cities across the country have been dealing with similar issues in recent years, including Reno, Phoenix, and Chicago.

In September, three people were killed and several others badly hurt in crashes related to a pop-up sideshow in Wildwood, New Jersey.