OAKLAND -- When Cleveland resident Dave Krug decided to drive through Oakland early Sunday, he didn't think he was about to encounter some of the most terrifying moments of his life.
Krug had never heard of a 'sideshow.' That all changed when he came upon about 100 people watching a sideshow at the intersection of Foothill and High streets.
"I couldn't get through -- everything was blocked," he said. "They started to jump on my car, tried to drag my out of my car, punching me, breaking my window. I was so afraid for my life. I was like a hostage."
The mob jumped on the Saab he had driven out from Ohio, they broke his windows and punched him in the face.
"At that point I'm thinking, I'm going to die," he said. "I'm not going to live. I've got to survive. I've got to run'em over and I've got to get out of there. It's all I could do."
Krug could not longer hold his emotions.
"I was afraid for my life," Krug said whipping tears from his eyes. "I've never experienced anything like this in my life."
Oakland police knew Saturday night-Sunday morning was going to be a difficult time on the city's streets.
They had brought in help -- 18 CHP officers and had also beefed up their own patrol staff to two sergeants and 12 officers. But the mobile nature of sideshows -- the illegal street gatherings where drivers spin their cars in circles with their stereos blaring -- makes stopping them almost impossible.
"It's mobile," said Oakland Police Lt. Charles Gibson. "If it's occurring at High and Foothill, and we go there, they simply get in their cars and go to another locations where we're not. We can't be everywhere."
The Krug assault was an example of what Gibson was talking about. There were no arrests made and no suspects sought.
As for Krug, he hopes police can get the sideshows under control so no one ever has to go through what he did last night.
"They (the police) have to have more backup to do their jobs because this is not right," he said. "I didn't know this happened in this city. It never happens in Cleveland. I liked this town until last night. Now I don't know where I can drive, and where I can't drive."
Krug had never heard of a 'sideshow.' That all changed when he came upon about 100 people watching a sideshow at the intersection of Foothill and High streets.
"I couldn't get through -- everything was blocked," he said. "They started to jump on my car, tried to drag my out of my car, punching me, breaking my window. I was so afraid for my life. I was like a hostage."
The mob jumped on the Saab he had driven out from Ohio, they broke his windows and punched him in the face.
"At that point I'm thinking, I'm going to die," he said. "I'm not going to live. I've got to survive. I've got to run'em over and I've got to get out of there. It's all I could do."
Krug could not longer hold his emotions.
"I was afraid for my life," Krug said whipping tears from his eyes. "I've never experienced anything like this in my life."
Oakland police knew Saturday night-Sunday morning was going to be a difficult time on the city's streets.
They had brought in help -- 18 CHP officers and had also beefed up their own patrol staff to two sergeants and 12 officers. But the mobile nature of sideshows -- the illegal street gatherings where drivers spin their cars in circles with their stereos blaring -- makes stopping them almost impossible.
"It's mobile," said Oakland Police Lt. Charles Gibson. "If it's occurring at High and Foothill, and we go there, they simply get in their cars and go to another locations where we're not. We can't be everywhere."
The Krug assault was an example of what Gibson was talking about. There were no arrests made and no suspects sought.
As for Krug, he hopes police can get the sideshows under control so no one ever has to go through what he did last night.
"They (the police) have to have more backup to do their jobs because this is not right," he said. "I didn't know this happened in this city. It never happens in Cleveland. I liked this town until last night. Now I don't know where I can drive, and where I can't drive."
