For the third weekend in a row, rogue motorists took over the same Chatsworth intersection to do “doughnuts” at high speed, endangering themselves, scores of spectators and other drivers trying to get home Saturday night, local residents say.

Kevin Tanaka said he was driving home after seeing a movie with his teen son and a friend when they stumbled upon the “street takeover” at Plummer Street and Mason Avenue at about 8 p.m. His son shot video from their car.

“I actually do have a hot rod and…I grew up cruising Whittier Boulevard (in the San Gabriel Valley). I love to do burnouts and everything,” he said. But “this is different…You’re blocking a major intersection when it’s 8 (at night)…This is a little bit more extreme; a little bit more dangerous, too.”

Neighbors say another dangerous 'street takeover' happened last night at about 8 p.m. at Mason Ave. and Plummer St. in #Chatsworth. This is the 3rd weekend in a row that it's happened. Video from last night. https://t.co/sFDBWGYkwH pic.twitter.com/jZDPqDLYcl — Brenda Gazzar (@bgazzar) May 6, 2018

Tanaka estimated that there was between 50 to 100 spectators who had parked their cars and were watching what appeared to be a staged event, similar to what neighbors described happened here the last two weekends. One young woman was waving the Mexican Flag Saturday night, which was Cinco de Mayo.

The spectators “were right there” in the intersection, Tanaka said. “If the car catches, (it’s) going to go into the crowd.”

RELATED STORY: Dangerous ‘street takeovers’ for car stunts have San Fernando Valley residents worried

Tanaka, who did not stay long in the area, said he wondered: “Where are the cops? How are they letting this happen?”

He said he was able to turn right onto Mason from Plummer but worried that a truck doing doughnuts could lose control and crash into them.

LAPD’s Devonshire Division received a call at 7:45 p.m. Saturday of street racing in that area, according to Sgt. David Neville, who was citing an incident history log.

“I love to do burnouts and everything. This is different…You’re blocking a major intersection when it’s 8 (at night)…This is a little bit more extreme; a little bit more dangerous, too.” — Kevin Tanaka

Around 8:10 p.m., the station received calls of dozens of vehicles blocking the street and of motorists during doughnuts in the intersection. The first patrol unit arrived at about 8:25 p.m., followed up by two more units. The participants and the spectators “split on them” after they arrived, he said.

“A 15-minute response time is not too bad depending upon what else is going on” in the division, Neville said, noting they often don’t have the resources to respond to frequent street racing calls involving two vehicles.

Unlike an emergency situation such as a violent call in progress, street racing or car stunt calls would not generally warrant lights and sirens, he said.

Here's another video from the same #Chatsworth intersection last night. In this chaotic scene, you see spectators in the street, cars blocked, as well as smoke and sparks/fire. Video courtesy of a local resident. #streettakeover pic.twitter.com/e1bT1C2yg6 — Brenda Gazzar (@bgazzar) May 6, 2018

Area resident Brian L., who asked that his last name not be used for fear of retaliation from the street takeover participants, said he believes these events will continue at least one night every weekend until someone tries to stop it.

“You’re going to have a lot of upset neighbors; I doubt (authorities) want the community to take it into their own hands, ” he said.

But he acknowledged there’s not much neighbors can do since “it’s us against a hundred people.”

On Saturday night, Brian’s wife was able to get through the intersection twice during the takeover as participants were directing traffic and periodically letting people through, he said. One neighbor said during the prior weekend, participants had blocked off the intersection with cones on each side.

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Capt. Andy Neiman of LAPD’s Valley Traffic Division previously noted that street takeovers – which can include illegal street racing or vehicle stunts – by large groups of people can be dangerous not only to the public but for law enforcement to go in without sufficient backup.

“Two or four police cars against 50 or 60 individuals in that behavior can be a very dangerous combination,” Neiman said.

That sentiment was echoed by Neville, who said that motorists who participate in such events have displayed a willingness to challenge police. Authorities have to send multiple units usually with a supervisor and will try to get a helicopter involved as well.

“(Participants) like to livestream that, get in our faces, call us names and put it up on social media,” he said.

Meanwhile, these takeovers are happening in other parts of the Valley too.

A Facebook page dedicated to San Fernando Valley racing posted a video of a street takeover on Sunday at Paxton Street and Foothill Boulevard in Sylmar. The video showed a car doing doughnuts at high speed and nearly hitting a man who had to jump out of the way.

And on Feb. 25, more than 200 cars blocked off an intersection at Hubbard Street and Glenoaks Boulevard in the western end of the city of San Fernando bordering Sylmar to allow motorists to do doughnuts with their vehicles.

One person suspected of throwing a piece of cement at an officer was booked for assault with a deadly weapon, engaging in a speed contest and obstructing or resisting a police officer, according to the San Fernando Police Department. Another was cited for aiding and abetting a speed contest.

Chatsworth resident Brian L. noted that if it’s dangerous for a one or two police cars to handle such events, then “how are (we) citizens supposed to feel?”

“It’s really disappointing,” he said of LAPD’s response.

An LAPD Valley Traffic Division street racing task force created in late 2014 was disbanded a few years ago due to insufficient resources.