One man was arrested after he allegedly crashed his ATV into a Detroit police cruiser over the weekend as officers cracked down on dozens of the vehicles driving recklessly downtown.
On Sunday afternoon, Detroit police were keeping tabs on as many as 30 ATVs and dirt bikes that had descended on the downtown area, WXYZ-TV reports. Some of the bikers were driving along sidewalks and weaving in and out of traffic.
Officers were on patrol when an ATV driver crashed into a police cruiser. The driver fled on foot, but he was arrested after a short chase.
Following the collision, officers tried to round up other bikers who were flooding the downtown. No one else was apprehended, but police had a stern warning for the drivers who escaped.
"What they may deem as fun is actually breaking the law," said Capt. Derick Griffin. "It is not only placing themselves but other people at risk of injury. Your freedom stops where the next person's begins, so they have to be mindful of that. We want them to have fun, but do it in the designated area. Those are off-road vehicles specially titled for those reasons."
ATVs and dirt bikes continue to be a problem for Detroit police, especially in the downtown area. These off-road vehicles don't have license plates and aren't built for Michigan roads. A $250 reward is being offered by the department for any information leading to the confiscation of ATVs and dirt bikes.
