Rome officer injured investigating complaints of off-road vehicles

A Rome police officer was injured recently after a string of complaints came in of people recklessly operating dirt bikes and ATVs in the city, according to a statement made by the Rome Police Department.

On Monday, May 6, the Rome Police Department received several complaints regarding the “...reckless operation of ATVs and dirt bikes, particularly in the South Rome area.”

During the course of the shift, three separate juvenile operators were found.

At around 7:17 p.m. on Monday, a 14-year-old was apprehended after operating an unregistered moped throughout the city. The juvenile was operating the moped without a helmet, was disregarding all traffic control devices, and was operating recklessly, police said.

The moped was impounded, and the juvenile was turned over to their parent.

At around 7:49 p.m., a 14-year-old juvenile was apprehended operating a dirt bike in the roadway on Jasper Street. The juvenile’s parent admitted to allowing the juvenile to operate the vehicle in the roadway.

The juvenile was subsequently cited for Rome City Code 70-8a Off-Road Vehicle on Public Roads or Public Property Prohibited. The dirt bike was subsequently impounded.

At around 9:28 p.m., police observed an ATV and a dirt bike operating on Canal Street at Harbor Way. The ATV and dirt bike attempted to cross the walking bridge connecting Canal Street to Harbor Way, at which point officers apprehended them.

The parent from the earlier complaint was the dirt bike operator. When an officer was in the process of apprehending him, he attempted to flee on the dirt bike, at which time the foot-peg of the dirt bike struck the leg of the officer, causing a deep laceration, police said.

The officer required medical attention and multiple stitches. The parent was subsequently charged with second-degree assault, a class D felony.

This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Rome officer injured investigating complaints of off-road vehicles