Illegal Sideshow Leads To 2 Arrests In San Mateo County

WOODSIDE, CA — Two young men arrested Saturday in unincorporated Redwood City are accused of participating in a large sideshow near Woodside High School, according to the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office.

The sheriff's office said the raucous event drew hundreds of spectators to Woodside Road and Alameda de las Pulgas, and witnesses reported some participants throwing items as passing vehicles. Deputies responded to the scene with assistance from the Redwood City Police Department and the California Highway Patrol.

According to investigators, a wave of vehicles and people fled the scene as law enforcement saturated the area. Deputies noticed two people fleeing on foot and attempted to stop them, spurring a brief foot chase. The sheriff's office said the pursuit ended at a nearby ARCO gas station, where one of the suspects jumped into someone's vehicle in an attempt to hide.

Both men were taken into custody and booked into the Maguire Correctional Facility on suspicion of resisting an officer. The suspects were identified as Waldemar Pop, 23, and Jesus Fress-Ramirez, 22, both of San Francisco.

"Not only are sideshows illegal, but they are extremely dangerous for all involved," the sheriff's office wrote Sunday. "The San Mateo County Sheriff's Office has a zero-tolerance policy related to sideshows and is actively working to identify others who were involved in Saturday's sideshow."

Anyone with information that could help identify additional suspects can contact detectives at 650-363-4911 or leave an anonymous tip at 1-800-547-2700.