Joyriding in the red sea targeted by area lawmen

Leonard Hayhurst

COSHOCTON -- The era of joyriding in the red sea is over, and all-terrain vehicle riders could face fines and jail time if they continue their illegal ways.

The red sea refers to an area of 38.9 acres from behind Oak Ridge Cemetery on North Sixth Street to land owned by Calvin Lafferty past North 15th Street and going north to the railroad tracks almost to the Tuscarawas River.

"This is a problem the sheriff's office, myself and the juvenile prosecutor has been dealing with for years, and it's not something we've disregarded. It's more of a matter of time to catch them, number one, and number two, having the manpower to do that," Coshocton City Law Director Bob Skelton said.

Skelton said the land is owned by the city and some portions by Ohio Central Railroad, but that dirt bikes, ATV and other four-wheeled vehicles riding in the area overall is prohibited by law.

"We're going to start going after individuals on that land," Skelton said. "Regardless, we're going to find out who is doing this and go after them not only with ATV laws, but criminal trespassing."

Depending on charges, Skelton said that offenders could be fined $150 or face up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Skelton encourages any residents who live in the area to contact the Coshocton County Sheriff's Office when people are spotted on the land. Some neighbors who have been annoyed by the noise have called the office in the past.

"If they have the manpower, they'll be down there," Skelton said.

Sheriff Tim Rogers said his officers probably have made more than a dozen such stops over the past three years in the area.

"It's time to get more aggressive and work with the law director and juvenile prosecutor offices," Rogers said."We will be more aggressive and seize their assets and keep them from them if that's what (legal entities) want us to do. We'd be happy to do so."

Service Director Jerry Stenner said the red sea is posted with many signs stating the area is no trespassing.

"They have a problem with a lack of deputies, so they can't be there all the time, but I'm sure there are times they can make a stroll up there to the edge," Stenner said.

Stenner said that riders most likely take alleys and the railroad tracks down into the red sea and it's illegal for them to be riding in these areas too.

"That's another problem, how do they get down there legally? They probably can't," Stenner said.

Stenner said a minor league baseball diamond was there once but went out in the 1940s. Since then, the area has become overgrown with trees, grass and other vegetation.

Stenner said bowhunters are allowed to hunt deer and other animals in the area if given city permission. He said illegal dumping of garbage once was a problem in the area but has become less trouble in recent years thanks to city cleanup efforts.

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Source: http://www.coshoctontribune.com/article/20100419/NEWS01/4190303/-1/

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