D.C. Man Arrested For Riding ATV in Arlington

[mahatmakanejeeves]

D.C. Man Arrested For Riding ATV in Arlington
by Chris Teale July 11, 2017 at 2:30 pm



A D.C. man is facing charges for being in a group that rode dozens of dirt bikes and ATVs through Arlington in April. ... The Arlington County Police Department announced the arrest Tuesday afternoon.

Stephon Williams, 24, has been charged with felony eluding, concealing identity while wearing a mask, reckless driving and operating an ATV on the highway. He is being held in the Arlington County Detention Facility without bond.

Williams was allegedly part of a group of about 75 riders that on April 9 around 7 p.m. drove on Arlington Blvd, then to U.S. Route 1 south into Alexandria. It was one of two such incidents of the riders descending on the county that weekend; another incident was reported last month.

An Arlington County police officer monitored the group in Courthouse on his in-car camera, and detectives were able to put together a description of a suspect. Williams was arrested in D.C. and waived extradition to the Commonwealth.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

1. Adding a link

Last edited Fri Jul 14, 2017, 09:40 AM - Edit history (1)

D.C. man charged with reckless driving in Virginia dirt bike and ATV incident

By Dana Hedgpeth July 12 at 10:07 AM

A D.C. man has been charged in an April incident of riding dirt bikes and ATVs in Arlington County, authorities said.

Stephon Williams, 24, has been charged with operating an ATV on the highway, reckless driving, felony eluding and other charges, according to Arlington County Police.

The incident happened about 7:14 p.m. on April 9, when a police officer was trying to make a traffic stop in the 1200 block of N. Courthouse Road, near Arlington Boulevard. The officer saw a large group of ATVs and dirt bikes headed westbound on Arlington Boulevard.

The officer activated his in-car camera system and monitored the group of riders before they left the county, police said.

{Dozens of illegal dirt bikes, ATVs choke the streets of National Harbor}
....

Dana Hedgpeth is a Post reporter, working the early morning, reporting on traffic, crime and other local issues. Follow @postmetrogirl

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Dozens of illegal dirt bikes, ATVs choke the streets of National Harbor

By Lynh Bui June 27

Nearly 100 dirt bikes and all-terrain vehicles roared through National Harbor in Maryland on Sunday evening, with riders popping wheelies, zipping across sidewalks and weaving through traffic for nearly a half-hour.

The swarm of vehicles signaled the arrival of the annual battle between joy riders who say they’re only having a little fun and police who say that buzzing through public streets on such vehicles is breaking the law and putting lives at risk. ... “This will not be tolerated,” said George Nichols, Prince George’s County deputy police chief. “Don’t think you just got away with it.”

Dozens of dirt bikes and ATVs descended on the busy shopping and entertainment area in Prince George’s County at about 8 p.m., police and National Harbor officials said. Officers attempted to pull riders over and stop them, but they ignored authorities, speeding through streets and sidewalks for about 30 minutes before clearing out, police said.
....

Lynh Bui is a Prince George's County public safety reporter and former Montgomery County education reporter. Follow @ByLynhBui

[mahatmakanejeeves]

2. D.C. police shred illegal dirt bikes and ATVs seized from streets

Couldn't they have auctioned them off? I mean, nowhere near DC?

D.C. police shred illegal dirt bikes and ATVs seized from streets

By Peter Hermann July 15

....
D.C. police on Saturday destroyed 62 dirt bikes and ATVs, hauled to an area scrap yard in five trucks. All had either been abandoned, seized as part of a criminal investigation or taken because they were not registered and never claimed.

But instead of auctioning the bikes, and as they do with seized firearms, police decided to send a different message.

{Watch dirt bikes shredded on this police video}

“We don’t want them to return to the street,” said Bill Sarvis, director of the D.C. police corporate support bureau, which is responsible for managing equipment, supplies and the agency’s fleet of vehicles.

Dirt-bike riders are fixtures in Baltimore and the District, drawing complaints from residents and frustrations from police who prohibit officers from chasing them, saying it is too dangerous. Instead, police use surveillance photographs to try to identify bikes and riders, as well as tips from the public to seize the vehicles. People who provide information to the police that leads to seizure of an illegal bike can receive an award of up to $250.
....

Peter Hermann covers crime for The Washington Post. Follow @phscoop