PASADENA, Md. — Anne Arundel County Police have provided additional details about an encounter involving a 13-year-old riding a high-powered electric dirt bike that ultimately led to 11 citations for the juvenile, citations for the juvenile’s parent or guardian and the impoundment of the E-Moto.
The incident, which was captured on video outside the McDonald’s on Fort Smallwood Road, was part of a police enforcement effort targeting what authorities described as the dangerous operation of non-street-legal, high-powered electric dirt bikes on local roadways.
According to police, officers were conducting proactive bike patrols in Riviera Beach on June 12 in response to ongoing community complaints about E-Motos being operated on public roads. Police said the vehicles posed a significant risk to pedestrians and motorists.
Police Attempt Traffic Stop
At approximately 5:25 p.m., a uniformed officer riding an Anne Arundel County Police Department-issued mountain bike equipped with emergency lights and a siren spotted an E-Moto traveling on Fort Smallwood Road.
Police said the vehicle did not have a visible motor scooter registration sticker, license plate or other indication that it was legally registered. The E-Moto was capable of maintaining the speed of surrounding traffic and was being operated like other motor vehicles on the roadway, according to police.
The officer activated the police bicycle’s emergency lights and siren and attempted to conduct a traffic stop.
Police said the operator saw the emergency signals but did not stop and instead fled.
According to police, the operator turned onto Fort Smallwood Road at Riviera Road, traveled northbound and then turned onto Cloverhill Road.
Police Say It Was Third Encounter
Police said this was the officer’s third encounter with the same operator involving the allegedly unlawful operation of the unregistered and uninsured E-Moto on a public roadway.
During previous encounters, police said the operator had been observed weaving in and out of traffic, cutting off vehicles and disregarding traffic signals.
Encounter Continues at McDonald’s
At approximately 7:07 p.m., the officer located the same E-Moto at the McDonald’s on Fort Smallwood Road.
As the officer attempted to secure the vehicle, police said the juvenile operator and a group of other juveniles became disorderly.
Police said the 13-year-old then attempted to mount the officer’s department-issued bicycle before an adult bystander intervened.
Additional officers arrived, and police said the scene was brought under control.
13-Year-Old Cited for 11 Violations
The E-Moto operator was identified by police as a 13-year-old juvenile.
According to police, the juvenile received citations for 11 violations. Police identified several of those violations as fleeing and eluding, reckless driving, disorderly conduct, operating an unregistered and uninsured motor vehicle, operating a motor vehicle without a driver’s license and failure to obey a lawful order.
Police did not identify all 11 violations in the information provided.
The juvenile’s parent or guardian was also cited for knowingly permitting the operation of an uninsured motor vehicle and knowingly permitting an unlicensed person to operate a motor vehicle.
The E-Moto was impounded.
Anne Arundel County Police said the enforcement effort comes amid community concerns about high-powered electric dirt bikes being operated on area roads.
“We remain committed to addressing these community safety concerns and ensuring traffic laws are upheld,” police said.
Watch the video on Anne Arundel First Alert page
😂🤣😆. I love it. If parents won’t hold their children accountable for their actions then the parents must be held accountable along with their child.