“Massive congestion” and “gridlock” descended on the area of a West Garden Grove shopping center on Friday night, leading to numerous citations and other enforcement activity.
According to the GGPD, the car meet was at Eastgate Center (Valley View Street and Chapman Avenue). Officers from the Neighborhood Traffic Unit were on hand to observe.
By 7 p.m., officers saw cars arriving in the hundreds, clogging traffic lanes. When the shopping center, which is anchored by a Vons supermarket, was full, the overflow filled up surrounding business parking lots and residential neighborhoods. There were numerous calls for service to police.
The NTU, with the assistance of patrol officers, issued 127 citations including nearly 300 violations. One vehicle was towed and 15 vehicles referred to the State Referee Board for “street legal” compliance.
On Saturday the parking lot was partly full as a new retail store that buys and sells used automobile parts held a grand opening.
