A 15-year-old boy in San Bernardino County has been taken into custody after authorities said he attempted to carjack a deputy’s patrol vehicle during a street takeover.  

The incident unfolded on May 11 just after midnight when a crowd estimated at around 100 people surrounded the intersection of Victoria and Highland avenues with vehicles and opened a nearby fire hydrant to make it easier for the vehicles to “drift,” a news release from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department stated.

Authorities say that a deputy from SBSD’s Highland Sheriff’s Station who stopped at a red light at the intersection inside his patrol vehicle was swarmed by the large crowd who began kicking and punching the vehicle.  

Street Takeover Mob
A video posted to social media shows a mob of teenagers attacking a deputy’s patrol vehicle in San Bernardino County, California, on May 11, 2024. (SBSD)

The sheriff’s unit suffered significant damage, including a completely broken windshield, before the deputy was able to drive away from the crowd and get to safety, authorities said. 

During their investigation of the incident, detectives obtained video that they believe identifies the 15-year-old Menifee resident as the primary suspect, saying the teen opened the deputy’s driver-side door and attempted “to overtake the deputy and his patrol unit.”  

An arrest warrant and a search warrant were issued for the juvenile.  

He was taken into custody at around 6:30 a.m. on May 23 at his residence and booked into the San Bernardino County Juvenile Hall on charges of felony vandalism and attempted carjacking.  

Authorities did not say whether they are searching for additional individuals involved in the street takeover or if they expect more arrests in the case.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact SBSD’s Highland Sheriff’s Station at 909-425-9793. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call the WeTip Hotline at 800-782-7463 or leave tips online at www.wetip.com.