11 charged Saturday in ATV crackdown

The 11 people charged Saturday by Columbus police with illegal and reckless ATV and dirt bike use on city streets matches the total for all of last year.

For the past several years, loud and reckless ATV, dirt bike and motorcycle use has developed into a problem that has raised concerns from residents in some city neighborhoods, including the Short North.

On Saturday, police initiated their first “Operation Wheels Down” of 2022. The 11 people arrested or issued summons face charges of driving without an operator's license, operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, reckless operation and/or failure to comply, police reported. Two were issued traffic citations.

Additionally, two of the arrests included felony charges and one firearm was recovered, police reported.

Nine ATVS were impounded, police said.

By comparison with Saturday's arrests and summonses, police reported that in all of 2021 there were 11 people arrested or summoned, 11 ATVS or dirt bikes impounded and seized, two stolen ATVS or dirt bikes and five firearms recovered.

The Columbus Division of Police helicopter was used to follow suspects in several of the successful arrests from 2021, according to information provided to The Dispatch through a public records request.

Columbus police say they have a strategic plan in place in ATV, dirt bike crackdown

In response to recent public complaints about ATVS and dirt bikes in Columbus and surrounding communities, the city's Division of Police announced earlier this month a strategic plan in which it was partnering with the Franklin County Sheriff's office and the Columbus City Attorney's office to address the complaints.

Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant said in a press conference last week that police will be enforcing the law and devoting resources to catching and identifying people driving recklessly, including those on motorcycles.

City Attorney Zach Klein said his office will charge and prosecute anyone operating a vehicle recklessly, regardless of the vehicle type, and vowed that there would be no leniency.

Sgt. James Fuqua, spokesperson for Columbus police, said in a release that police plan to gather video evidence of illegal ATV and dirt bike activity, then later release images of suspects from the videos and ask the public's help identifying the suspects.

“We will be investigating these offenses and will ask the community to help us identify those individuals that have been lawlessly putting everyone at risk on the road and in our neighborhoods,” Fuqua stated. Cbehrens@dispatch.com @Colebehr_report