Law enforcement monitoring for dirt bike traffic on MLK Day - WPEC
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — Beyond the parades and acts of service, Martin Luther King Jr. Day has come to mean another thing in South Florida: more dirt bikes and ATVs on roadways.
Riders take to the streets on this holiday every year in an unsanctioned event known as "Wheels Up, Guns Down."
While some of the largest crowds have been observed in Miami Dade and Broward Counties, the Florida Highway Patrol says it's become an issue in Palm Beach County, too.
FHP will have officers monitoring the roadways and in helicopters overhead to keep tabs on any dangerous dirt biking.
"If you find yourself in traffic while these daredevils and reckless individuals are driving by, we want you to come to a halt. pull off to the side of the road and let us do our job," said Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony.
This year's event comes after weeks of tension in Boynton Beach, where a 13-year-old dirt biker was recently killed during an attempted traffic stop.
Video surveillance shows teenager Stanley Davis Jr. getting fuel at a gas station. A Boynton Beach police cruiser enters the parking lot, and the boy gets on the bike and speeds away. He is seen making turns and going down an intersecting road.
Police say the teen lost control of his dirt bike, struck a median, and died from his injuries. The officer involved is on leave and under investigation.
A law enforcement expert recently told CBS12 News that he believed the officer may have violated the department's pursuit policy, which does not permit officers to chase suspects for traffic violations.
Major Robert Chandler with FHP said on this MLK Day, if officers see a group of dirt bikers on the roads, they will attempt to avoid pursuits.
"When you stop, when you congregate, that's when law enforcement will come in and make its arrests," Major Chandler said. "We're not going to get into pursuits, chases with motorcycles. That isn't what we do. That doesn't mean you won't be subject to arrest."
Right now, operating dirt bikes recklessly in the roadways is considered a traffic infraction in Florida, subject to a fine up to about $1,100.
But several lawmakers in South Florida are working to enhance penalties and make it a criminal offense.
There are three bills in the legislature this session to address road take overs and unsafe dirt biking, and Major Chandler said it would allow law enforcement to impound vehicles so the drivers cannot get them back.
source: https://cbs12.com/newsletter-daily/law-enforcement-monitoring-for-dirt-bike-traffic-on-mlk-day
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