Cops: Chester man leads them on wild, 70 mph ATV chase

Written by The Daily Times

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Vicky Thomas

UPLAND — A Chester man is behind bars after reportedly leading police on a wild chase on an all-terrain vehicle, allegedly riding on sidewalks and tearing through lawns to elude officers during a 20-minute pursuit.

Bilal Malik, 23, of the 3000 block of Carter Lane, faces a slew of charges after the high-speed chase through Chester, Upland and Brookhaven around 6 p.m. Thursday.

According to the affidavit, Parkside Police Officer William Paul attempted to stop Malik after spotting him going 70 mph on an ATV on 24th Street in Chester.

Malik, who has a suspended driver’s license, allegedly continued on 24th Street past the Upland Shopping Center, onto Upland Avenue and through Main Street as officers from Brookhaven and Upland joined in the chase.

It is illegal to drive an ATV on the street. He narrowly avoided striking pedestrians as he fled from officers, police said.

“There were a lot of kids playing outside in the part of the community he drove through and people crossing streets,” said Upland Police Chief John Easton.

When Malik drove onto a property on Bridgewater Road, Brookhaven Officer Richard Subers and Upland Officer Brian Boyd tried to stop him, but he sped off, according to the affidavit.

After traveling on Bridgewater Road, Malik turned on Powell Road toward Rainer Road. Easton instructed officers to block Malik at Adair and Powell roads.

“He fled down Rainer Road and didn’t know it turned into Powell Road. He made a complete circle,” said Easton.

As he reached the roadblock, Malik observed Upland Officer Anthony DeLuise pull out his Taser gun. Apparently distracted, he crashed his vehicle into the lawn of 4004 Powell Road and sustained lacerations to the face and knees, police said.

When he fell off his vehicle, Malik attempted to flee on foot and fought police as they made the arrest, the affidavit states.

Easton, DeLuise and Subers sustained minor injuries during the arrest. There was some damage to the lawn and sidewalk of the Powell Road residence.

Malik is facing four charges of aggravated assault. His other charges include simple assault, fleeing from police officers, resisting arrest, reckless driving, careless driving, trespass by motor vehicle, operating an ATV on streets, highways and on private property, driving with a suspended license, reckless endangerment and criminal mischief.

He is being held in county prison in lieu of 10 percent of $30,000 bail.

Source: http://www.delcotimes.com/articles/2009/04/25/news/doc49f284f816bb2723131499.txt

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“As a rancher who leases public lands for cattle, I’ve seen my share of cut fences and rangeland damaged by ORV use. I’ve also experienced ORV trespass onto my private lands. But I’ve had no way to identify the culprits when reporting trespass or illegal ORV use to local law enforcement. Congress should require that ORVs used on public lands have visible identification plates or decals. Doing so would remove the anonymity enjoyed by ORV riders who are bent on breaking the rules.”

- Ambers Thornburgh, second-generation rancher from Oregon who grazes cattle on his private land and adjacent lands leased from the Bureau of Land Management