In California, a recent illegal “street takeover” turned tragic when a pickup truck driver, attempting stunts, lost control and crashed into a group of spectators.
This unfortunate event occurred on a Friday night in Los Angeles, at an intersection infamous for such dangerous gatherings, as reported by the Daily Mail.
During a live broadcast on the Kick platform, viewers witnessed a silver truck performing “donuts” around a fire in a trash can at the intersection of Normandie and West Gage Avenues. The scene was surrounded by roughly 100 people, standing perilously close to the stunt-driving.
In a heart-stopping moment captured on the livestream, the truck, while making a high-speed turn, veered off course and slammed into the crowd watching from the sidelines.
Following the crash, the remaining onlookers rushed to record the incident on their phones, amidst shouts and screams.
The person streaming the event could be heard exclaiming in disbelief, “Oh my God…oh my God.”
One of the witnesses, speaking into the camera, estimated, “It hit like three people.”
The video concluded with several individuals climbing onto the truck, while others cautioned that the driver was attempting to reverse.
“Watch out, back up! He’s gonna back up on y’all,” someone in the crowd warned.
Street takeovers have become a frequent occurrence not only in California but across major cities in the U.S., often leading to serious injuries or fatalities.
Although it remains unclear if there were any injuries in this latest incident, many such events go unreported to the authorities, according to the Daily Mail.
In July 2023, the same intersection witnessed another chaotic takeover, where fireworks were set off, and a driver crashed into a parked vehicle, narrowly missing spectators, as NBC Los Angeles reported.
In another incident last March, a man was struck by a stunt driver at this intersection. He had disappeared by the time the Los Angeles Police Department arrived, likely taken to a hospital beforehand, CBS News reported.
Just last weekend, another Los Angeles intersection was the scene of a dramatic event, resulting in a Jeep being set on fire in the middle of the road.
ABC7 shared a shocking video showing the Jeep engulfed in flames after someone doused it with gasoline. Meanwhile, another vehicle performed donuts around it, entertaining another large crowd.
According to the local outlet, approximately 50 cars participated in this street takeover. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and no arrests have been made.
The Los Angeles City Council is actively seeking solutions to curb these hazardous events. In February, they voted 12-to-1 to initiate a pilot program targeting 20 intersections, including Normandie and Gage, for increased surveillance.
The Daily Mail reports that the Los Angeles Police Department has also requested the installation of cameras at these intersections. The program is currently under development, with plans to expand to 30 more intersections in the near future.