Over this past weekend, an illegal street race ended with the shooting death of a young man. This was just days after City Council made it illegal to ride dirt bikes and ATVs in Philadelphia. Now the DA is working to crack down on use of these vehicles on city streets. NBC10’s Lauren Mayk has the details.
What to Know
- As Philadelphia cracks down on ATVs and dirt bikes on city streets, District Attorney Larry Krasner is developing a diversionary program for riders.
- At a news conference on Monday, Krasner urged people not to lump all riders in together, and to take a more nuanced approach, including a designated place for riders to use their vehicles.
- Philadelphia’s city council voted last week to classify the ATV and dirt bikes as illegal vehicles.
As Philadelphia cracks down on ATVs and dirt bikes on city streets, District Attorney Larry Krasner is developing a diversionary program for riders who could be charged for their actions.
At a news conference on Monday, Krasner urged people not to lump all riders in together, and to take a more nuanced approach.
“There is a big difference between driving a vehicle down a street and endangering people by driving up and down the sidewalk. There is a difference between traveling at a normal speed and going at an extremely high speed or going against traffic or blowing through traffic lights,” Krasner said.
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Krasner also praised efforts to find a designated place for riders to use their vehicles.
Philadelphia’s city council voted last week to classify the ATV and dirt bikes as illegal vehicles. A spokesperson for Mayor Jim Kenney’s office said Monday that the legislation is under legal review but that the mayor supports it and plans to sign it.
Anticipating arrests, Krasner’s office is working on a program that takes cues from programs in other cities, including Baltimore, and could open doors to new career options and education, assistant DA Mike Lee said. The programs, he said, include education about vehicles and their maintenance, the science behind doing tricks and the competition of sport.
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Krasner’s office on Monday also announced charges against an ATV rider from an incident in May. Willliam Cropper, 41, was stopped by two plainclothes officers who were monitoring the illegal use of ATVs on residential streets in West Philadelphia, officials said.
As one of the officers left their vehicle, Cropper allegedly accelerated his bike into the passenger-door, injuring the officer. Cropper then fled on foot and later punched the same officer who was trying to apprehend him, according to investigators.
Cropper was later arrested and charged with aggravated assault, criminal mischief, aggravated assault by vehicle, possession of an instrument of crime, simple assault, resisting arrest and fleeing a police officer.
Lee said that Cropper’s case is not among those that would be eligible for the new diversionary program.
