Blairsville police target illegal ATV disturbances

Written by Indiana Gazette

Friday, March 27, 2009

Lauren Daley

BLAIRSVILLE - Blairsville Borough police are reaching out to riders and parents of riders of all-terrain vehicles and motorcycles that they say have been causing a disturbance in the northern part of town.

Police Chief Donald Hess said his department has received numerous complaints from residents in the area of McClure Street and Miller Avenue about quads racing and driving on the road and private property.

The department has received so many complaints that officers set up a detail with Norfolk Southern police and the Pennsylvania Game Commission on Sunday, stopping 20 off-road vehicles around WyoTech Park, Hess said. Officers issued more than 20 traffic citations during the detail.

Hess said it has been mostly juveniles, who ride on the railroad tracks and private property, causing disturbances.

"What's disturbing is I'm getting the distinct impression that some of the parents are permitting it. The truth of the matter is it's not only the child who doesn't have a license at the time to be cited for motor vehicle infractions they committed, but the parents could also be cited for permitting them to violate the law," Hess said. "So if a child was cited for a $200 fine for driving without a license, that means the parents would be cited. You could easily get up to $1,000."

Hess said his department is trying to reach an accord with the parents and the riders, and he said he offered to hold a meeting with them but has not yet received a response.

In the meantime, Hess said some riders are operating their vehicles in an unsafe manner. In one incident a rider crossed the highway on a quad in front of a car, he said.

"There's been a multitude (of incidents). I don't doubt, with the onset of warm weather and everything else, that it's only going to get worse," he said. "I'm reaching out to the parents of kids riding on ATVs and quads. Certainly what we want to do, our No. 1 priority, is keeping the kids safe. And if we start citing them, it's mom and dad (who will be cited, too)."

Hess noted that quads and other vehicles that cannot be inspected, such as trail motorbikes, aren't permitted on the road. He said riders should make sure they have legal authorization to ride in an area so they are not trespassing, and to make sure that they have a legal way, such as a trailer, to transport their bike or quad to and from the ride site.

Source: http://online.indianagazette.com/articles/2009/03/27/news/indiana_county/10013130.txt

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Community Voices

“Once they chased our cow into a deep arroyo where it fell and broke its neck. I don't understand how anyone could think chasing livestock is fun.” As a result of the growing conflicts with off-roaders, the Gonzales family stopped their cattle ranching. It doesn't matter whether it is a plate or decal, what is important is that the identification is visible. The police could have tracked down the illegal riders if we had been able to photograph the IDs on their vehicles. I think that would have made them think twice before breaking the law.”

- Eleanor Gonzales, private property owner in Santé Fe County, NM