Several law enforcement agencies joined forces to crack down on illegal activity related to an underground car show at Monte Vista Crossings on Friday.
Turlock Police Department, Modesto Police Department, Ceres Police Department, Patterson Police Department, Newman Police Department and California Highway Patrol teamed up as part of the Countywide Integrated Traffic Enforcement (CITE) team in Turlock.
Authorities had received dozens of complaints regarding illegal and dangerous behavior going on with a group of people who were gathering in the Safeway parking lot, near the In-N-Out Burger.
These people would gather for a non-permitted “car show” to display their custom vehicles. Behavior allegedly evolved to include reckless driving in the parking lot, illegal narcotics use, alcohol consumption, intimidation of other customers, battery and racing.
Officers issued about 60 citations for illegally modified vehicles, made seven arrests for driving while suspended or unlicensed, and a juvenile was arrested for DUI and an outstanding warrant during the three-hour operation.
Officers dressed in plain clothes had gone to the “car show” on a prior date where they witnessed and recorded many of these illegal behaviors.
“This was not the case of one upset person. I have personally observed the behavior in and around the parking lot and the racing on Highway 99 endangering many lives,” said Turlock Traffic Unit Supervisor Sergeant Neil Cervenka.
It is believed that many of these violators were part of a group that gathered in Modesto, but a previous CITE operation disrupted them.
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Good work!! Get those lowlifes out of Turlock!!! I get so sick of listening to their crap racing down Golden State. Not to mention the reckless driving that is endangering innocent lives. Noone cares about your stupid little kid cars, grow up punks!!!!
Is there somewhere to do the car showing on a Friday or Saturday that is FREE? These young adults do not have anywhere to go.
Leslie, those “young adults” would have been allowed to have their car show there at the Safeway lot in Turlock if they hadn’t acted stupid and committed crimes. The police only took this action because of the criminal activity. If these young adults had gathered and behaved themselves then the police would not have bothered them.
Why don’t we give them a free place to do their drugs while we’re at it.
If there were a place for them to gather and race legally, this wouldn’t be such a problem…It reminds me of skateboarding; if you dont have a skate park to go to, you end up finding your own spot…which usually isn’t ideal for anyone.
I used to go to the meets back in high school and a little after too. Up until 2 years ago I stopped going because out of no where the young high school folk got ahold of their licenses and cars and just started tearing up the parking lots..not only do we not have an organized spot to go and relax and talk about what we like but it has bee. Blown out of proportion by the younger youth who I hear seem to be causing serious endangerment especially with so many spectators in the lot. Most of those kids need to be taught about respect and the law while us former calmer guys need a new place to do what we used to do.
Seriously, the police having nothing better to do, than bust people who have modified cars? Way to waste tons of money for cars with exhausts on them! I’m sure there were no drug, murder, rape, theft, or other more serious matters that the money/detective work could have gone towards! Stupidity – 1…Police – 0
Leslie, as per the article:
[i]”These people would gather for a non-permitted “car show” to display their custom vehicles. Behavior allegedly evolved to include reckless driving in the parking lot, illegal narcotics use, alcohol consumption, intimidation of other customers, battery and racing.”[/i]
Do you really think these people should be provided with a free place to continue their illegal and dangerous activities????? Seriously?????
This stuff wouldn’t be happening if there was places for us CAR ENTHUSIASTS (not lowlifes) to go and drag race, show-off our cars and have fun for free or a small fee. Just saying. Figure something out for us please and thank you.
All they wanted to do was have some fun, if they had done it without the drinking it would have been better.
I always like it when people say things about…we need a place to do this or do that… We need a bowling alley for the kids we need a place to race…really it’s that easy? Buy the land and do it!
Haha. That’s funny to me. I go pass by and there may be some things going on that is illegal okay but to make most of those “citations” for something on the rear view mirror that a person I know got…amazes me that they call that illegal mods. Cops just need money. Because the majority of people there don’t even race there.
Great job officers, you really put a end to these criminals. ha
Cant even get to a real crime scene on time but real quick to give tickets.
People stretch the truth way too far
This looked cool! Mac dre hyphy style, turlock needs more of this not less. Then turlock won’t be so shite
Busted all 6 cars that showed up! lol I was there from 830-1200. They only towed two cars. Not that impressive.
Well the good thing is that these punks are being broken up. The bad… they’ll think they’re hardcore and go somewhere else. And also they somehow manage to give us good car enthusiasts a very bad imagine. Please know that these idiots are not real car enthusiasts.
@torreto you make me laugh bro just stop… This was the biggest joke/fail for the cops i sat there and watched this whole thing go down pulling over every single person that came into the parking lot.. Multiple ppl where given two citations back to back from two different cops not knowing he had just got one a couple minutes before… Sounds to me like PD didnt meet their monthly tickets
Wow… just MY thoughts, and hope not to offend anyone… JUST from what I read and see, as well as MY thoughts… Looks like they did need to do something… IF there is/has been racing, that needs to end, IF there is/was drug use/drinking, that needs to end. One bad apple can spoil it for a bunch. Example… in 94 I DJ’d for a small “diner” in Lodi for a night “car show” “cruise-IN” (no crusING… that’s what people named it… hence the “IN”). We did that EVERY Thursday night during the summer (several of us showed up during the winter just for fun)… that’s TRUE car enthusiasts… if ANYONE leaving raced or “tore out”, we would kindly ask them not to do so, OR not to return. Drinking/drugs were not a problem, it was a FAMILY oriented event… music, people showing off cars, etc. It’s still going on during the summer to this day (I no longer live in that area). That’s what it should be like, spectators can walk through with no problems to see cars of all types (hot rods, street rods, leadsleds, customs, low riders, muscle cars, classics, antique, some newer cars,) … its all for good clean family fun.
Come on I know smoking and drinking under age but its the older people that do…let these kids have fun there not killing anybody there just showing off there pride and joy why don’t you officers catch real criminals and killers and drug dealers but no u want to to be an (*edited by tcn) and (*edited by tcn) with kids that like cars…if u guy (the cops/turlock) would make a place where we can do this u can make lots of money for kids having fun… Have u thought about that I guess no because u guys are to busy being (*edited by tcn).
Everyone seemed to overlook the other items in the article. Battery, drugs, racing and other customers being intimated. That behavior is not acceptable. The hurts the business, which in turn hurts the town.
Go fight some real crimes. There’s people getting killed and women getting raped but they take 5 different agencies to stop people speeding for just 1/4 mile.
(*edited by tcn) the police
Some like to ruin the scene with illegal activities, especially if they are visitors from out of town. These kids really need to grow up, and Realize they are enforcing Officers to sign citations because of their immature acts of behavior. Keep signing those citations to those who dont obey the law!
The thing is this is private property, you can’t just show up to a business parking lot and do what you want because there is no where in town to do this. Go to your own homes, oh right your parents wouldn’t allow it.
Dude what about all the other car meets now the cops are going to be on our asses and watching us like were in elementary school WTF!!
It’s interesting to see most of the comments here made by kids, or if that’s not the case, immature adults. It is usually the immature who disrespect police and justify their wrong actions. Everyone is so quick to throw the middle finger at the police until it effects them and their family. Sad.
narcotics use & alcohol consumption? there is no such thing happening at this place. they just gather to show their cars. that is ridiculous that they issued citations for “reckless driving” when police officers drive reckless at times. its a bit hypocritical & idiotic. let the youth gather & enjoy a start to their weekend without these law enforcement nose buds.
There are so many young morons these days. I grew-up in another state (27 years ago), we used to do this thing as well but we all gathered out near a train trestle on the river, way outside the city (15 minute drive from the city limits). There was nothing out there except farm land, woodland, and a really sweet section of county road that was straight for about 1/2 mile. Very little traffic after dark. Everyone did this to A. avoid the cops, B. avoid residential areas who would call the cops, C. avoid other motorists or traffic for safety. Heck some of us would bring our fishing poles and go fishing on the river, have a couple beers and whatnot. If you’re too dumb to know how to have your fun and not get the attention of the cops, to avoid getting complaints and be reasonably safe toward the presence of other motorists on the streets (who are not part of your gathering), then you’re too dumb or irresponsible to have your cars or your freedoms and deserve to get cited/arrested.
Used to have a quarter mile on Walnut Road in 66. The (edited) police would show up out there and you would have to keep going and hope that whoever had been the starter got away. Doesn’t seem much different. A lot of cities have “Coffee and Cars” meets on the first Saturday morning of the month. Maybe the city could set up something like that. I will suggest that playing undercover and catching these dastardly kids probably was a real kick for the gendarme.
In my opinion i say our county should invest in a legal race way where the county can profit from it and the violence can be sustained, just imagine at least 100 cars every friday and saturday plus what events can bring in