Contra Costa Prosecutors Charge Antioch Man With Hit & Run After Sideshow

Prosecutors have charged a 21-year-old Antioch man with four counts related to hit and run and reckless driving that injured two people after an early morning sideshow on Sunday in Antioch.

The Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday that Chase Allen Cancilla faces two felony counts of reckless driving on a highway that caused injuries and enhancements of inflicting great bodily harm to others.

Cancilla also faces a felony hit and run charge resulting in the serious injury of another, and a misdemeanor for operating a vehicle without a valid driver’s license.

Police received multiple reports at approximately 2:50 a.m. about a sideshow developing at the Antioch Marina Harbor and Smith’s Landing parking lots.

As officers set up to disperse the sideshow, Cancilla’s vehicle allegedly fled the marina at a high rate of speed on L Street with no lights on, police said.

An officer initially followed the vehicle, but called off the chase because the officer saw the hood of Cancilla’s vehicle was blocking the windshield, police said.

The vehicle crashed into another car at West Ninth and G streets, causing major injury to an unrelated Antioch woman in her 50s, another person, and damaging a city water hydrant.

The woman was transported to the hospital in critical condition.

Cancilla allegedly fled from the crashed car but was caught by police after a short foot chase. He was arrested on suspicion of felony reckless driving and felony hit and run. He also had a no-bail warrant out of Santa Clara County for sideshow activity. He was booked into the West County Detention Facility.

The sideshow at the marina continued until a vehicle spun into the water and another vehicle collided with a water hydrant and a water main at the Smith’s Landing parking lot. Each driver fled from the scene prior to police arrival.

Cancilla was arraigned Wednesday in Contra Costa County Superior Court and bail was set at $191,000.

“Sideshows present many risks to community safety, endangering those who are involved and the public at large,” Contra Costa District Attorney Diana Becton said in a statement. “The District Attorney’s Office will continue to be vigilant in prosecuting offenses stemming from sideshows under California law.”