WASHINGTON – A woman was maimed, a police officer was attacked and a community reporter was killed. They were bystanders tied to ATV and dirt bike riders who swarm D.C.’s streets.
It’s increasing in popularity and more people are getting hurt. According to the city’s police union, officers are doing what they should to stop ATV and dirt bike riders who travel illegally through the city.
However, union officials claim, the courts aren’t doing their part. D.C. Superior Court offered no comment on those accusations.
Reporter Charnice Milton was waiting for a bus when police say a dirt bike driver began shooting at another group riding nearby and killed her. No one has been charged in the crime.
“Our officers are making arrests and are successful in apprehending these guys, but no one is getting any kind of penalty when they get down to the courthouse,” says Gregg Pemberton, the D.C. police union’s treasurer.
In the past 15 months — from January 2014 to May of this year — officers arrested 147 drivers operating the illegal street vehicles. Of those, 33 were found guilty, but none served jail time, Pemberton says.
“We just don’t think that’s a serious enough penalty in order to diminish this kind of behavior,” Pemberton says.
D.C.’s Office of the Attorney General says it’s looking into those numbers and is working with city police about the community concern.
The office released this statement:
“OAG’s Criminal Section is intensifying our prosecution of dirt bike and ATV cases. These cases are reflective of concerns we hear in the community from citizens outraged by the noise and danger that many of these riders pose to pedestrians, lawful drivers, and law enforcement. Innocent bystanders—as well as dirt bike and ATV riders and passengers themselves—are getting seriously injured as the recklessness of dirt bike and ATV driving increases.”
