A man was charged on Wednesday with shutting down a stretch of freeway in downtown Los Angeles so he could film a music video in 2023 in a bid to gain online fame, prosecutors said.
The man, Eduardo Erik Martínez, 32, and a group of drivers stopped northbound traffic on the 110 Freeway near the 9th Street offramp on Nov. 22, 2023, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Several vehicles blocked the lanes as afternoon traffic swelled, with the closed highway creating a makeshift stage for Mr. Martínez.
Mr. Martínez then stood in front of the halted traffic and began recording a music video while drivers in his group performed tight, spinning maneuvers known as doughnuts around him, prosecutors said.
Videos of the stunt later circulated online, drawing both attention and outrage.
District Attorney Nathan Hochman of Los Angeles County, Calif., said in a statement that highway takeover stunts have spread across Southern California in recent years, driven by the pursuit of online fame.
He warned that his office will aggressively pursue these cases, calling this stunt “incredibly reckless behavior, all in search of a ‘viral moment’ on social media.”
“If you choose to treat our streets like your own personal playground, you will find yourself in a criminal courtroom,” Mr. Hochman said in a statement.
No one was hurt during the 2023 freeway shutdown, though the authorities said the sudden stoppage and hard braking created hazards for drivers.
California Highway Patrol officers responded after the group dispersed. Investigators later identified Mr. Martínez through video evidence and witness accounts, prosecutors said.
It was not immediately clear whether the drivers involved in the video were charged.
On Wednesday, Mr. Martínez pleaded not guilty to one felony count of conspiracy to commit exhibition of speed in connection with the 2023 road closure.
He also pleaded not guilty to two felony counts of vandalism. Those charges stem from an unrelated court appearance on Oct. 21, 2024, during which Mr. Martínez vandalized a bench in Department 40 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center, prosecutors said.
If convicted on all of the charges, Mr. Martínez faces a maximum sentence of four years and four months.
He was being held on a $100,000 bond as of Saturday, according to the county jail’s website. His next court date for a preliminary hearing is set for Dec. 11. It was not clear on Saturday if Mr. Martínez had a lawyer.
The investigation into the freeway takeover is continuing as officials review digital recordings and statements, prosecutors said.
Mark Walker is a Times reporter who covers breaking news and culture.
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