Teenagers spotted doing car tricks in village intersection

Around 10:10 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 24, a resident on La Granada heard the loud, roaring sound of sports cars performing tricks in the intersection of Avenida De Acacias and La Granada.

“They were doing donuts in the intersection where we take our kids to school,” said the resident.

After calling the Rancho Santa Fe Patrol, the resident went outside and saw about 10 to 15 teenagers on the sidewalk recording the tricks. The young drivers were honking and speeding and the spectators were cheering. “It looked a little bit dangerous,” he said, adding it was still early enough in the evening that there were other cars on the road.

The marks from car tricks left in the La Granada intersection.

(Courtesy )

When the Patrol arrived the cars sped off and the teenagers scattered, running away on the golf course trails. In the morning when the resident walked his kids to school, he saw the tracks left behind in the intersection.

RSF Patrol Chief Mike Scaramella said this activity has happened before on other Rancho Santa Fe streets but it is fairly rare. Sometimes the activities will occur in the middle of the night and no one will hear it or report it, the marks will just be seen on the street the next day.

When a case like this occurs, Scaramella said they will alert the California Highway Patrol, although RSF Patrol is usually first to respond. Scaramella said when the Patrol sees speeders in action, they have taken down license plate numbers which are then forwarded to the CHP. The CHP can send a letter to the registered owner, who might not have been aware that their teenager was speeding through the Ranch.

Large-scale “takeover sideshow” events, where people take over public streets to perform vehicle stunts, have not occurred in Rancho Santa Fe although they have been an issue around the county. Over the Sept. 3 weekend, officers from the San Diego Police Department, National City Police Department and the CHP arrested 11 people and cited another 51 during sideshow events.

The sideshow crews had targeted intersections within the city of San Diego such as Juniper Park Lane and Sorrento Valley Boulevard, Flanders Court and Flanders Drive, and Via Del Norte and La Jolla Boulevard. In the joint-agency effort, officers pursued and deterred people participating, aiding and spectating at these events. Arrests were made for crimes including felony reckless driving, driving under the influence, exhibition of speed, speed contests and spectating at an illegal event.

Several people who received citations had their vehicles impounded. Four juveniles were present at these events after curfew and they were detained, cited and released to their parents/guardians.

Anyone who has any information relating to these dangerous events that can result in injury, violence and property damage, are encouraged to contact the authorities or Crime Stoppers and remain anonymous.