A 16-year-old boy from California died after falling from a freeway overpass. He fell 75 feet while watching an illegal car sideshow in Crockett, around 3:30 AM on Saturday, September 13, according to ABC7 News.
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Teen Boy Falls Off Freeway Overpass While Watching Illegal Sideshow
California Highway Patrol reported that the teenager attempted to cross a gap between freeway ramps near I-80 and the Carquinez Bridge. Over 100 vehicles were involved, blocking the roads for a sideshow, creating a chaotic scene.
“It woke me up about 3 o’clock in the morning, (maybe) 3:30 in the morning,” said resident Jim Delisle. “There were fireworks. It’s really common when they get cars going in circles, and everyone gets fired up, and you can see people shooting those up in the air.”
Police eventually heard about the teenager spectator who fell after climbing over a concrete safety barrier. “The police cars were there. I didn’t know what exactly had happened,” Delisle added.
Another resident, Scott Cranston, noticed all the commotion after the teen fell from his deck. “The police cars were there. I didn’t know what exactly had happened,” said Cranston.
Cranston was stunned after finding out about the teen’s death. “I was shocked,” he said. “But the sideshow is just a matter of there would be a fatality. They’re hanging out of cars, they are recklessly driving.”
Crockett Upset Over Sideshows
The authorities have yet to identify the young boy. This tragic news has made residents of Crockett even more upset about sideshows.
“This is something that the town is really, really concerned about,” said resident and business owner Julia D’Alo, via KTVU. “We don’t have a police department. We have sheriffs, and they come in when we call them, but it’s usually too late.”
Another business owner of a barbecue restaurant, Stephen Nash, has issues with how these illegal shows affect traffic. “As a business owner, you want the proper traffic to come through,” said Nash. “And you don’t want some of the influences, especially when the sideshows aren’t really being supervised.”
Not only that, but Nash is a parent who was especially affected by the teen’s death. “That is a big concern with having two teenagers of my own and one still in elementary,” he said. “You think, if they’re out hanging with their friends… they could be influenced. Especially when you’re talking about being on a bridge… falling through a crack.”