Jose Cuevas Obituary, Death; Teen identified after fatal fall at East Bay sideshow.
Jose Cuevas Obituary, Death – Authorities in Contra Costa County have released the identity of a teenager who tragically died after falling from a freeway ramp during a sideshow in Crockett over the weekend. The Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Monday that the victim was 16-year-old Jose Cuevas, a resident of Harbor City, a neighborhood in the Los Angeles area.
The fatal incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday morning, September 13, when Cuevas fell from an Interstate 80 ramp near the Carquinez Bridge. According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), the teen plummeted roughly 75 feet to the ground below. Emergency responders arrived quickly, but Cuevas was pronounced dead at the scene.
Officials say the investigation remains ongoing, but preliminary findings indicate the fall was accidental. CHP officers explained that Cuevas had reportedly climbed over a concrete safety barrier on an elevated section of the Pomona Street on-ramp leading to westbound I-80. Shortly after, he lost his footing and fell.
The accident happened as CHP officers were responding to reports of a large sideshow in Crockett. Around 3:30 a.m., authorities arrived at the intersection of Pomona and Merchant streets, where more than 100 vehicles had gathered. Witnesses described drivers performing donuts and other stunts while a crowd of spectators looked on. It was during this chaotic event that reports emerged of a spectator falling from the elevated ramp.
The CHP has asked anyone who witnessed the fall or the events leading up to it to come forward. Those with information are encouraged to contact the CHP’s Contra Costa-area office in Martinez at (925) 646-4980 or to email details to 320Investigations@chp.ca.gov. Investigators are hoping that firsthand accounts will help clarify how the tragic fall unfolded.
While sideshows—illegal street racing and stunt gatherings—are not uncommon in the Bay Area, they often create dangerous situations for both participants and spectators. Incidents involving injuries and fatalities, though less frequent, have occurred in the past. Cuevas’s death has sparked renewed concern about the risks these gatherings pose, especially when large crowds gather near high-traffic areas such as freeway ramps and intersections.
Community members and local officials have previously raised alarms about the dangers of sideshows, which can disrupt traffic, block emergency responders, and put bystanders at serious risk. In this case, the proximity to the interstate and the height of the overpass created particularly hazardous conditions.
For now, Cuevas’s family and community are mourning the loss of a young life cut short under tragic circumstances. Authorities stress that while the investigation continues, the case is being treated as an accidental fall rather than a criminal act.
This tragedy adds to a growing list of incidents tied to sideshows across Northern California. Law enforcement agencies continue to explore strategies to curb such gatherings, but Saturday’s events in Crockett underscore how quickly they can turn deadly.
