01.01.2021 | 12:00 AM | ORANGE – As many as 500 vehicles and spectators stopped all lanes of the SR-57 Freeway to do stunts and shoot off fireworks in celebration of the new year, early Friday morning.
The group of several hundred vehicles stopped all lanes of the southbound SR-57 Freeway just south of East Katella Avenue shortly before midnight.
Spectators exited their vehicles to watch drivers perform donuts and other stunts while others launched aerial fireworks from the freeway.
Several minutes into the new year officers arrived on scene and the crowd began to disperse causing pedestrians to flee for their vehicles.
Some pedestrians ran across lanes while others were left abandoned and had to walk off the freeway.
Two pedestrians fled from the officers. One of the individuals was quickly apprehended and placed under arrest while the other escaped.
While officers cleared the southbound lanes, the group reentered the freeway and again stopped traffic to perform stunts and shoot off fireworks.
Multiple vehicles were stopped and issued citations and at least one was impounded.
