At about 11:12 pm Friday night, a Turlock Police officer near the intersection of Atlanta Court and Venture Ln, Turlock, on-viewed several vehicles doing donuts at a sideshow on Atlanta Court. Additional units responded to the area to begin attempting traffic stops.
An officer attempted to stop a silver Lexus sedan for reckless driving that was westbound on West Linwood Avenue from Venture Lane. The vehicle’s driver did not want to stop and a pursuit was initiated. The vehicle went northbound on North Walnut Road and then eastbound on West Main Street. The officer lost sight of it near West Main Street and State Route 99 as it turned off all of its lights. Speeds during the pursuit reached a high of approximately 70 miles per hour. The officer was able to get the vehicle’s license plate and follow-up will be conducted. The vehicle was registered locally to an address here in Turlock.
Another officer attempted to stop a gray Lexus sedan for not having any license plates displayed that was southbound on Lander Avenue from West Linwood Avenue. That vehicle’s driver also did not want to stop and a pursuit was initiated. That vehicle went northbound on State Route 99 from Lander Avenue. The on-duty watch commander terminated the pursuit due to its reckless nature. Speeds during that pursuit reached a high of approximately 100 miles per hour.
Sideshows became a problem here in Turlock in the summer of 2020. They stopped in the late summer of 2021 after the police department began conducting very aggressive enforcement, citing as many people and towing as many vehicles as they possibly could, however, it appears that they are starting again.
