One Injured During Large Sideshow in Natomas

North Freeway Boulevard at Promenade Circle was closed to through traffic while Sacramento Police investigated sideshow accident. / Photo: NatomasBuzz.com

BY BRANDY TUZON BOYD
THE NATOMAS BUZZ | @natomasbuzz
Updated 2:45 p.m. Sept. 13, 2020

One man was injured Saturday night, Sept. 12 during a sideshow in Natomas.

Social media post advertising the Sept. 12 car meet in North Natomas. The post was removed following the accident.

Vehicles started to convene just before 7 p.m. at the Burlington parking lot off of North Freeway Boulevard for a car meet commemorating the birthday of “Fast & Furious” actor Paul Walker. Walker died in a car crash on Nov. 30, 2013.

According to a Facebook post by Councilmember Angelique Ashby, Sacramento Police knew about the car meet in advance and had a dozen officers on the scene.

Images and video posted on social media showed the meet drew upwards of 700 vehicles and approximately 1,000 people.

At about 10 p.m. witnesses on scene report a sideshow started in the intersection of North Freeway Boulevard and Promenade Circle.

Video circulating on social media shows hundreds of people encircling the vehicle performing donuts.

According to police one of the sideshow spectators ran toward the vehicle performing donuts and was struck by the vehicle. Video on social media shows the vehicle running over the spectator.

Sacramento Fire Dept. personnel responded to the scene and the bystander, a young adult male, was transported to an area hospital.

“The male sustained serious injury but is expected to survive,” police spokesperson Officer Karl Chan said.

According to a family post to social media, the accident victim underwent several hours of surgery for his injuries and is reported to be in critical condition.

“My son is fighting for his life,” the victim’s mother told The Natomas Buzz.

The vehicle involved in the accident fled the scene and Chan said officers are still attempting to identify a suspect in the incident. Officers were able to issue two citations to drivers and one vehicle was towed, he said.

North Freeway was closed for about two hours to through traffic while Sacramento Police investigated the accident.

This morning, the Sacramento Gateway parking lot is littered with dozens of beer, Hennessy, rum and whiskey bottles.

The car meet at Burlington was the 12th  staged in North Natomas and organized by the same group since June 30.

Several posts made to social media during the car meet have been removed since the accident.

Source: Google Maps