Motorcyclist Killed in Crash After Allegedly Participating in Sideshow

A motorcyclist suspected of participating in a sideshow in Oakland was killed in a crash in Castro Valley on Sunday night after allegedly leading California Highway Patrol officers on a high-speed chase, CHP officers said today.

CHP officers initially tried to stop the man, whose name has not yet been released, after he was seen taking part in an illegal sideshow in Oakland and later started speeding around 8:15 p.m. Sunday, according to CHP Officer Sean Wilkenfeld. Officers pursued the suspect onto Interstate Highway 880 but called off the chase near the O.co Coliseum for other motorists’ safety, Wilkenfeld said. A CHP helicopter was able to continue the pursuit by air, following the motorcyclist as he headed onto state Highway 238 and state Highway 580 in Castro Valley, at times speeding at over 100 mph.

The man shot off of Highway 580 at the Redwood Road exit, where an Alameda County sheriff’s deputy spotted him. But before the deputy could stop him, the motorcyclist plowed into an SUV at the intersection of Redwood Road and Castro Valley Boulevard and was ejected onto the roadway, according to CHP Officer Eric Thomas.

Officers performed CPR and called for emergency medical crews but the man was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the SUV was treated for minor injuries at the scene and was released. Wilkenfeld said the motorcyclist had apparently taken part in a sideshow in Oakland prior to the chase and fatal crash. The illegal car stunt show was one of several reported in Oakland on Sunday evening, the officer said.

“Being a spectator or a participant in a sideshow is illegal,” he said, adding that those who take part in the illegal shows can face jail time. Anyone who sees a sideshow occurring is encouraged to report it to their local police agency.

—By Bay City News