What to Know
- Miami-Dade Police said they made at least 14 arrests and towed 34 ATVs and dirt bikes, while also seizing four firearms
- The Broward Sheriff’s Office made at least 21 arrests, towed 24 ATVs and dirt bikes and seized two firearms
ATV and dirt bike riders hit the streets of South Florida Monday to take part in the annual "Wheels Up, Guns Down" MLK Rideout, which ended in dozens of arrests.
Since riders began taking to the streets on Friday, officials made several arrests. Miami-Dade Police said they made at least 14 arrests and towed 34 ATVs and dirt bikes, while also seizing four firearms.
The Broward Sheriff’s Office made at least 21 arrests, towed 24 ATVs and dirt bikes and seized two firearms.
A handful of riders were also arrested at Miami-Dade College's North Campus on Monday. While there, one dirt bike rider ran into another group of riders.
"When we pulled in here a lot of people just drove off, fled from the officers, one as you mentioned fell off, put themselves in danger," Miami-Dade Police spokesman Alvaro Zabaleta said. "A lot of them aren’t wearing helmets so we have to take all of these matters into consideration."
One man said he fell off his bike when he was hit by the other rider.
"We were hanging out there and all of a sudden the cops came and all three of us were just kind of going 'and that bike behind you is stolen' and T-boned us," said Jeff Dane, who came from Jacksonville to take part in the event. "We all just kind of ran into each other, the next thing you know we are in silver cuffs."
Lauderhill Fire Rescue officials said a 26-year-old ATV rider was critically injured when he crashed in the 2400 block of N. State Road 7.
Local
The riders have been taking part in the massive South Florida rideout on Martin Luther King Day in recent years, but police and the Florida Highway Patrol said they were doing all they can to stop it this year.
On Monday, officers were stationed at all of the ramps to Interstate 95 to prevent the riders from getting onto the expressway.
"I think the community themselves are getting a little tired of this because the community, those that are trying to get home, and the next thing they know they’re stuck in a mass of 300 motorcycles and they can’t move so of course that is an inconvenience to them," Zabaleta said.
