An affluent Washington DC suburb is on edge as out-of-control teenagers take over its ritzy streets to perform high-risk stunts on dirt bikes. The Montgomery County Police Department arrested a 13-year-old boy around 6pm on Wednesday after youths were reported 'riding dirt bikes recklessly and nearly hitting pedestrians and cars' in the high-income enclave, approximately seven miles from the nation's capital.
Rising Incidents in Bethesda
'We have had instances in Bethesda recently where a young person on one of these ebikes or motorcycles collided with a car in an intersection and was injured,' Montgomery County police lieutenant Ari Elkin told 7News. 'We're seeing near misses every day, multiple times a day,' Elkin added. Bethesda is a wealthy, typically calm Maryland suburb roughly 30 minutes northwest of Washington DC, with a median household income of about $192,200, according to the US Census Bureau.
Details of the Incident
Surveillance footage showed the teen performing a wheelie in the middle of the street near Arlington Road and Bethesda Avenue as cars zipped by. A group of at least five youngsters could be seen hanging around the street and whizzing around with their bikes, displaying total disregard for traffic and pedestrians. The 13-year-old boy was charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, driving without a license, driving an unregistered motor vehicle, reckless and negligent driving, and failure to obey traffic control devices.
Authorities said the boy's dirt bike was not registered, which is illegal in Maryland, and that he did not have a state driver's license. The boy resisted arrest and proceeded to yell racial epithets at police. Police said that officers had seen the group of youngsters riding dirt bikes and e-bikes, along with a plume of smoke. One officer walked toward the group while another responded in an unmarked cruiser, but the teens took off. Police said that the 13-year-old 'circled back' towards them a short time later. That was when a policeman removed the teen from his dirt bike and arrested him with the help of other officers. The boy was taken to the 2nd District station to be processed and was subsequently released to his mother.
Community Concerns
Bodycam video of the arrest released by the Montgomery County police showed a bystander approaching the police officer who was arresting the teen. 'They've been such a nuisance and flaring smoke and if there's anything that you can do, let me know,' the woman, whose identity was not disclosed in the footage, said. She added that she saw the teens 'all the time and just causing trouble.' The teen's dirt bike was confiscated and towed, police added. It was not known whether any other suspects were later identified. His identity has not been released and his face was purposely obscured in the footage released.
Pattern of Street Takeovers
Law enforcement is warning that the so-called street takeovers appear to be taking after similar incidents in Washington DC and around the country. 'Parents need to know where your kids are at all times, know what they're doing, who they're doing it with and encourage them to make good choices,' Elkin said. These takeovers have previously turned fatal, including an incident on April 4 in northwest DC when a dirt bike rider on 14th Street severely injured a 10-year-old boy after running him over. Jahari Alford was in the bike lane when a group of dirt bike and ATV riders suddenly hit him, 7News reported. He was left with blood in his brain, a bruised neck and spine, lost teeth and a concussion, according to the outlet. 'If you're going to hit someone, you can at least check on them or something,' Jahari said. The Metropolitan Police Department said they were looking for a man with dreads in connection to that incident. In DC specifically, riding dirt bikes on the streets is illegal, but the Metropolitan Police Department's chase policy does not allow officers to pursue after the bikes. The Daily Mail has reached out to the Montgomery County police for further comment on the bike takeovers.
