Miami

Some MLK Ride-Out Riders in Bond Court as Officials Work to Curb Future Events

What to Know

  • Riding an off-road vehicle such as a dirt bike or ATV is illegal on paved roads.
  • Law enforcement agencies in Broward, Miami-Dade and across the state are instituting a "no-tolerance" approach.

Several people who police said participated in the "Wheels Up, Guns Down" MLK ride-out faced a Miami-Dade judge on Tuesday.

Many of the riders in the event were from out of town. Some drove off-road vehicles such as dirt bikes or ATVs, which are illegal to drive on paved roads.

Five men – Arnold Dow, Elliot Jenkins, Wilfredo Colon, Willie Grant and Chris Potter – face felony and misdemeanor charges. Some live out of state. All were represented by the public defender's office.

Some of the suspects face charges including Attempted aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer.v grand theft of a vehicle and attempting to flee a police officer.

The Miami-Dade Police Department and the Broward County Sheriff's Office said that 20 arrests were made during the Monday holiday. In total, 31 arrests were made when including the weekend.

MDPD officers seized four firearms, impounded three vehicles, impounded 72 dirt bikes and ATVs and issued 26 moving violations while BSO towed 20 unauthorized vehicles.

South Florida officials are attempting to find a way to prevent the event from carrying on as usual. Miami-Dade Police Department Director Juan Perez said his team is working to find a way to end the chaos on the streets.

"Whether we give these folks a venue or not, you are still going to have those who go out and do their own thing," Perez said. "We have time to kind of coordinate and plan and try to organize something."

Perez said he hopes to work with elected officials and community-based organizations to find a method for the participants to hold the annual event without breaking the law.

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