By John Todd | Rio Linda Online
On this day 55 years ago—August 17, 1971—Rio Linda was confronting the aftermath of a large fight involving approximately 50 young people. The violence left one teenager dead, another seriously injured and several people under arrest.
Tony Artega, 17, of Rio Linda, died at Mercy San Juan Hospital after being shot during the confrontation outside the Archway Frosty Drive-In at 6749 Rio Linda Boulevard.
The fight occurred the previous evening, Monday, August 16.
According to the original Sacramento Union newspaper report, Sacramento County sheriff’s deputies arrested two men, ages 20 and 18, on charges of disturbing the peace and resisting arrest.
A third person was arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder. The newspaper did not identify that suspect because authorities said he was a juvenile.
Another young man, whose name was not released, was struck in the head with a large club during the fight. He was hospitalized with a fractured skull.
A Crowd Gathers on Rio Linda Boulevard
Barbara Clay, an employee of the Archway Frosty Drive-In, told the newspaper that approximately 40 young people had been sitting outside the business when the trouble began.
“There were so many of them I couldn’t begin to tell you how many there were,” Clay said at the time. She recalled seeing young Rio Linda residents in the crowd, along with others who were unfamiliar to her.
Clay said the group had been gathering near the drive-in since early that evening. At times, some of the young people entered the restaurant to purchase hamburgers and soft drinks.
The situation changed when another group arrived and an argument began. Clay said the crowd moved into a vacant lot across the street, where the dispute escalated into a large fight.
At some point, one of the young men produced a gun. Clay said she saw him run from the scene carrying it. Moments later, two gunshots were heard.
Sheriff’s detectives interviewed several witnesses as they attempted to determine how the fight began and who was responsible for the fatal shooting.
A Dark Moment in Rio Linda History
The Archway Frosty Drive-In and the stretch of Rio Linda Boulevard described in the clipping belong to an earlier period in the community’s history. That restaurant is now Original Granite’s.
The story remains a sobering reminder of how quickly a gathering and an argument can turn deadly. Tony Artega was only 17 years old.
The original report did not explain what ultimately happened to the juvenile arrested in connection with the shooting, whether charges were formally filed or how the criminal case was resolved. In fact, after the original story, there is no more reporting on it.
If longtime residents remember Tony Artega, the Archway Frosty Drive-In or the events of August 16, 1971, Rio Linda Online welcomes your discussion about that incident.
Editor’s note: This article is based on a newspaper clipping published August 17, 1971. Some details and the terminology used in the original report have been placed in historical context.
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