Video: Calif. Officer Attacked, Patrol Car Damaged after Sideshows

By George Kelly

Source East Bay Times

ANTIOCH, CA—Two adults were in county jail after their arrests on charges related to one of two weekend sideshows where a police vehicle was damaged and an officer attacked, authorities said.

In statements Sunday, a city spokesman said police began responding to one sideshow around 10 p.m. at Lone Tree Way and Bluerock Drive, followed by a second incident at East 18th and A streets.

According to the city spokesman, two suspects who fled one of the sideshows were pursued by the California Highway Patrol and taken into custody in Sacramento County. The two were later taken to Martinez county jail, where they were booked on suspicion of recklessly evading police and assault with a deadly weapon upon a peace officer. Neither the spokesman nor police provided any details of any injury to the officer or other sideshow participants.

City officials expressed shock at the incident Sunday. "The city of Antioch will not tolerate any acts of aggression towards our police officers," interim Antioch police chief Dr. Steven Ford said in a statement through the spokesman. "The Antioch police department intends to work with the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office to ensure that those who participated in this crime are met with the fullest weight of the law."

A social-media account posting statements on behalf of Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe said Ford had briefed him earlier Sunday, and that Thorpe would say more about the sideshows Monday.

"Unfortunately, a patrol car that was being occupied by an officer was damaged by bystanders who threw bottles and other objects at the car. This will not be tolerated," the statement read in part. "There is an investigation that is moving beyond just those arrested, and those individuals will be held accountable. While the City has been able to prevent these types of large [scale] sideshows in the past year, the City will continue to use every measure possible to ensure the residents of Antioch have peace and tranquility in their neighborhoods."

Antioch Vice Mayor and Councilman Mike Barbanica also weighed in. "Is this what our community has come to? Surrounding police officers. When members of a community think that this is okay, enforcement needs to be drastically stepped up," Barbanica said in part.

Both accounts posted a snippet of video from one sideshow that depicted several people kicking and hitting a slowly driving police sport-utility vehicle.

"This is ridiculous. A zero tolerance approach is needed. I expect APD to investigate and identify every person in this video that is committing a crime and write cases on each. This patrol unit has substantial damage."

Anyone with information may call a police non-emergency line at 925-778-2441 or texting-a-tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.

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