“Fast-and-Furious”-Style Freeway Takeover Leads to Arrests: CHP

An early-morning, "Fast and Furious"-style highway takeover in Hawthorne was stymied Sunday by a multi-agency reckless driving crackdown, authorities said.

The California Highway Patrol and two other agencies shut the eastbound 105 for over an hour at Crenshaw Boulevard after people who posted to social media planned to do the same thing, a CHP spokesman said.

Law enforcement agents arrested several people, who were booked on charges of DUIs, stolen firearms and vehicles and narcotics possession in the bid to squash their plans, the spokesman said.

"Crimes and acts of violence have been committed against innocent motorists and vehicles attempting to pass through these illegal events, as well as random acts of vandalism by spectators," CHP spokesman Tony Polizzi said.

The Los Angeles Police Department and LA County Sheriff's Department took part in the sweep, which resulted in several high-speed chases, Polizzi said.

A group of between 50 and 60 cars were gathered at a bus parking lot near the 105 Freeway and Crenshaw at around 3 a.m., the CHP said. Videos posted to social media showed cars doing tricks at the intersection.

An Instagram video posted by @alexander_sangria showed a man saying that parking lot was the meeting point for people "planning to take over the 105 Freeway." The user's page was later deleted.

The CHP isssed a Sig Alert at about 3:30 a.m. that it shut down the eastbound freeway. Footage of the freeway showed it backed up as patrolmen questioned people on the side of the highway, frisking some and searching cars.

Polizzi said several people were arrested, but didn't give an exact number. No one was injured in the sweep, he said.

It was reopened just before 5 a.m., the CHP said.

"Being inconsiderate for other people's families to go out there and do that, that's not right," said Donald Galaz, who identified himself as a street racer.

More information will be released at a Monday morning press conference, Polizzi said.

The City News Service contributed to this report.

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