This article is from the source 'washpo' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/police-in-district-counties-to-announce-dirt-bike-crackdown/2016/04/07/c1b801a6-fc13-11e5-9140-e61d062438bb_story.html
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Police in District, area counties announce dirt bike crackdown | Police in District, area counties announce dirt bike crackdown |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Frustrated by swarms of off-road motorcycles, dirt bikes and all-terrain vehicles commandeering public streets, police from the District and across the region pledged on Thursday to target what they described as a dangerous public menace. | Frustrated by swarms of off-road motorcycles, dirt bikes and all-terrain vehicles commandeering public streets, police from the District and across the region pledged on Thursday to target what they described as a dangerous public menace. |
| “Enough is enough,” D.C. Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier said, joined at a news conference by top law enforcement officers from Maryland and Virginia. | “Enough is enough,” D.C. Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier said, joined at a news conference by top law enforcement officers from Maryland and Virginia. |
| Efforts to stop the riders, however, stop short of officers chasing the vehicles, which authorities agreed is too dangerous a practice. Lanier said that since last year, police have worked to “safely intercept the groups as they come in” to the District. “We have ways of getting them,” she said. | |
| In that time, police in the District said they confiscated nearly 400 dirt bikes, ATVs and other similar vehicles, and made about 100 arrests. On Thursday, Lanier published photographs of 245 riders from nine group rides in recent weeks in the District, Maryland and Virginia, and urged the public to help to identify them so they can be arrested. D.C. police offer a $250 reward for people who turn in illegal off-road vehicles and lead police to the operators. | |
| [D.C. police publish pictures of hundreds of dirt bike, ATV riders seeking public help to arrest them] | [D.C. police publish pictures of hundreds of dirt bike, ATV riders seeking public help to arrest them] |
| Authorities said they plan to destroy 86 of the seized vehicles next month. “We want to turn these into scrap,” said Kevin Donahue, the District’s deputy mayor for public safety. | Authorities said they plan to destroy 86 of the seized vehicles next month. “We want to turn these into scrap,” said Kevin Donahue, the District’s deputy mayor for public safety. |
| In recent years, large groups of dirt-bike riders have taken over streets in the District and the suburbs, riding in packs and doing wheelies, weaving around traffic and ignoring traffic laws. In December, dozens rode from Arlington County across the Key Bridge and filled Georgetown streets before heading onto the Beltway, slowing traffic to a crawl as they performed stunts and laid down so much rubber that plumes of smoke rose from the pavement. | In recent years, large groups of dirt-bike riders have taken over streets in the District and the suburbs, riding in packs and doing wheelies, weaving around traffic and ignoring traffic laws. In December, dozens rode from Arlington County across the Key Bridge and filled Georgetown streets before heading onto the Beltway, slowing traffic to a crawl as they performed stunts and laid down so much rubber that plumes of smoke rose from the pavement. |
| This week, some Shaw residents complained about seeing packs of illegal bikes, and a D.C. police motorcycle officer was injured when an ATV struck his bike and dragged him across a road, police said. | This week, some Shaw residents complained about seeing packs of illegal bikes, and a D.C. police motorcycle officer was injured when an ATV struck his bike and dragged him across a road, police said. |
| [Complaints pour in as dirt bikes take over streets in District, Beltway] | [Complaints pour in as dirt bikes take over streets in District, Beltway] |
| On March 23, officials said a private ambulance contracted by the D.C. Department of Health was boxed in by bikers as it was transporting a critical-care patient to Children’s National Medical Center in Northwest. | On March 23, officials said a private ambulance contracted by the D.C. Department of Health was boxed in by bikers as it was transporting a critical-care patient to Children’s National Medical Center in Northwest. |
| Two people in Prince George’s County were killed last year in off-road dirt-bike or ATV accidents, and an officer with the Maryland-National Capital Park Police was badly injured last year when he got trapped between his cruiser and an ATV as he broke up a group illegally riding on trails. | Two people in Prince George’s County were killed last year in off-road dirt-bike or ATV accidents, and an officer with the Maryland-National Capital Park Police was badly injured last year when he got trapped between his cruiser and an ATV as he broke up a group illegally riding on trails. |
| D.C. Attorney General Karl A. Racine called for tougher penalties for those arrested, who face misdemeanor charges that result in probation, fines or suspended jail sentences. | D.C. Attorney General Karl A. Racine called for tougher penalties for those arrested, who face misdemeanor charges that result in probation, fines or suspended jail sentences. |
| [Outlawed dirt bikes take over District streets in shadow of Capital] | [Outlawed dirt bikes take over District streets in shadow of Capital] |
| Of 203 arrests made in the District since July 2013, Racine’s office, which prosecutes most misdemeanors, moved forward on 177 cases, securing convictions in 94. Twenty-three cases remain open, and others were either dismissed, dropped or suspects diverted to programs instead of jail. Officials said the majority of defendants received probation or fines; one went to jail. | Of 203 arrests made in the District since July 2013, Racine’s office, which prosecutes most misdemeanors, moved forward on 177 cases, securing convictions in 94. Twenty-three cases remain open, and others were either dismissed, dropped or suspects diverted to programs instead of jail. Officials said the majority of defendants received probation or fines; one went to jail. |
| Dana Hedgpeth and Lynh Bui contributed to this report. | Dana Hedgpeth and Lynh Bui contributed to this report. |