Arrest Made and Firearm Seized Following Monterey County Sideshows
SALINAS, CA — Monterey County Sheriff’s deputies arrested an 18-year-old passenger and cited several others following reports of widespread “sideshow” activity throughout the early hours of Friday, April 11, 2026.
Beginning at approximately 1:30 a.m., law enforcement agencies, including the Marina Police Department, Salinas Police Department, and the California Highway Patrol, received multiple reports of reckless driving exhibitions across Salinas, Marina, and surrounding areas. During a coordinated response to disperse the crowds, a Sheriff’s deputy observed a vehicle driving recklessly near North Main Street and Bolivar Street.
As the deputy attempted to intervene, the patrol vehicle was surrounded by approximately 20 to 30 individuals who began vandalizing the unit. The deputy was able to depart the immediate area and pursued a fleeing vehicle that was driving into oncoming traffic. Upon stopping the vehicle, deputies detained the driver and three passengers.
A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed a loaded and concealed firearm in the passenger area. Francisco Julian Gutierrez, 18, of Gonzales, was arrested and booked into the Monterey County Jail for carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle. The driver, Rudy Nathan Montoya, 19, of Soledad, was cited for reckless driving, and his vehicle was impounded. Two other passengers were cited for aiding and abetting a speed contest.
