Antwerp ATV arrest rare, hard to come by

ANTWERP — The annual spring and summer challenge here — trying to evade police with a dirt bike or all-terrain vehicle — is under way, but one rider got nabbed.

And he lost his ATV for a while, as well.

"If they have to pay to recover their machines and to get them registered, that gets their attention," Mayor Bert A. Corey said.

Manuel J. Gonzalez, 19, of 28 Depot St., was cited Tuesday evening with third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation, driving on railroad tracks, failure to wear a helmet and operating an unregistered and uninsured ATV. He was released without bail by Antwerp Town Justice Karl I. Ridsdale.

To recover his ATV, he will be required to pay a fee to the wrecker service that towed it away, Mr. Corey said.

Theresa L. McCargar, the village's officer in charge, said there are at least seven young men who "are riding their three-wheelers and dirt bikes recklessly throughout the town," most frequently on Main Street and Depot Street. "They pop wheelies, rev the engine up and ride on the railroad tracks," she said.

Following a recent dinner at the American Legion post here, she said some elderly people had difficulty entering and leaving the building "because of these kids."

Mr. Corey said this has been a problem for several years.

"We have a village code restricting their machines to certain streets," he said. Acknowledging that bike and ATV riding is a popular recreation and that there may be a lack of connecting roads for the restricted areas, he said, "We try to work with them."

"If they would wear their helmets and get their bikes registered and insured, that would defeat the problem," he said.

But this group of seven does not comply with laws, Officer McCargar said.

"They are very sneaky with their riding, and I just have to catch them myself, and that isn't as easy as it sounds," she said.

"It's the same people every year," the mayor said.

With cell phones and scanners, Mr. Corey said, the riders get the word out quickly when a village, sheriff or state police patrol is in the area.

"The problem is that the residents do not understand that they have to sign complaints and I have to investigate the issue before handing out tickets," Officer McCargar said.

Antwerp has two part-time officers, and the violators know when they are on duty, Mr. Corey said. He urged residents to try to identify the violators, gather a description of their machines and call the non-emergency numbers of the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department, 788-1441, or state police, 782-2112.

"Not 911," he said. "This is not an emergency; it is more of a nuisance-type thing."

Sheriff John P. Burns agreed, saying 911 is more for life-and-death situations.

The village expects to add a third part-time officer at the end of May, Mr. Corey said.