‘Extremely dangerous’ ATV and dirt bike riders arrested in Chapel Hill, police say
Police have arrested six people they say were among dozens of ATV and dirt bike riders seen cruising down Fordham Boulevard and Franklin Street on recent weekends.
Groups of ATV and dirt bike riders have been speeding, running red lights, blocking oncoming traffic and driving onto sidewalks, according to the Chapel Hill Police Department.
“We know from the experiences of other law enforcement agencies, the group’s goal is to get officers to chase them, while other riders record the dangerous interactions,” Police Chief Celisa Lehew said in a news release.
Six drivers have been charged with traffic safety violations including reckless driving, impeding traffic, operating an all-terrain vehicle on a public street, helmet law violations, unsafe movement, driving left of center and driving with a revoked license, police stated in a news release.
The drivers charged are Travone Jaron Alford, 28, of Concord; Dominick Johan Kelley, 29, of Spotsylvania, Virginia; Frederick Lenard Huff, 27, of Barco; Phillip Michael Horton, 25, of Hillsborough; Charles Damian Creel, 33, of New Hill; and Zarek Jaray Rollins, 35, of Durham.
Investigators expect to bring additional charges, police said.
Cruising in Raleigh and Durham
On Sunday, a group of more than 100 ATV riders and dirt bikers were seen driving through the streets of Raleigh, according to CBS17.
Around 7:30 p.m., the group was heading north on Wake Forest Road near Whitaker Mill Road, before eventually returning to Durham, according to the report.
Durham police announced Tuesday that they had arrested two people in connection with a Sunday incident. On Sunday just after 5 p.m., Durham police said they encountered more than 200 dirt bikes in the area of Garrett and Hope Valley roads. Police said officers stopped “several riders” and recovered two dirt bikes – one of which was stolen.
Jamal Anthony Redick, 35, of Durham and Marquis Tyqureus Massey, 24, of Durham were charged with operating an unregistered motorcycle and resisting officers, Durham police said Tuesday.
Riders have been seen multiple times in and around downtown Durham on Main Street, Blackwell Street near the Durham Bulls Athletic Park and Fayetteville Street and US 147, just blocks away from the Durham Police Department.
Police said investigators expect to bring additional charges against the drivers.
“It is extremely dangerous behavior, and it is not welcome in Chapel Hill,” Lehew said.
Durham Police Chief Patrice Andrews said a multi-jurisdictional task force, which includes the Durham County District Attorney’s office, has been been established to “focus solely on identifying, apprehending, and prosecuting individuals in our community that are more committed to being a part of the problem rather than the solution.”
