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Philadelphia police officer injured during attempted ATV stop as the city ramps up enforcement

The injury comes at the heels of revamped enforcement.

Phila. police roll a confiscated dirt bike onto a trailer on 5th St. near Allegheny after the driver had been operating it on the streets in Phila., Pa. on Sept. 26, 2020. Police on scene said they have had a special bike detail for the last 2 days. Police working in the air spot motorcycles/ ATV's that are stopped then specially trained police on dirt bikes move in and confiscate the motorcycles. If the drivers check out they are issued summons and will have to pay big fines to get their bike back. If drivers have outstanding warrants they are taken into custody.
Phila. police roll a confiscated dirt bike onto a trailer on 5th St. near Allegheny after the driver had been operating it on the streets in Phila., Pa. on Sept. 26, 2020. Police on scene said they have had a special bike detail for the last 2 days. Police working in the air spot motorcycles/ ATV's that are stopped then specially trained police on dirt bikes move in and confiscate the motorcycles. If the drivers check out they are issued summons and will have to pay big fines to get their bike back. If drivers have outstanding warrants they are taken into custody.Read moreElizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
    by Ximena Conde
    Updated 
    Published 

Philadelphia police are looking for a suspect they say intentionally struck an officer Tuesday night in South Philadelphia.

The officer’s name has not been released but he is reported to have sustained bruises and an injury to his right foot, all of which were treated at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition.

At about 7:15 p.m., the officer saw a red quad — part of the ATV family — in a sea of at least 50 ATVs near the Walt Whitman Bridge ramp in South Philadelphia, according to police. The quad stood out because it was emitting smoke, said police, so the officer followed the driver, who was clad in all black and wearing a ski mask. That’s when police said the driver “intentionally turned” into the officer, who was on a motorbike, causing him to crash, and taking the opportunity to escape.

Authorities found a red quad on the 5100 block of Erdrick Street in the Frankford section of the city, but police later said it was not the same vehicle used to injure the officer and no charges were filed against the owner.

The stop gone wrong comes as the department beefs up its ATV enforcement under the new mayoral administration. The injured officer is part of the city’s revamped ATV initiative, which was working due to the warm weather, said police.

The subject of ATVs and other off-road vehicles has long been a source of debate. Many see the large groups revving along Broad Street or Delaware Avenue as a nuisance, with some riders cutting off cars and pedestrians or blowing through traffic lights. Critics of so-called bike life say the people riding illegal bikes should be fined, a perennial effort with newfound vigor as Mayor Cherelle L. Parker promises to crack down on the quality-of-life issue.

A stop could result in a major financial loss. The bikes, which police can confiscate, can cost in the thousands of dollars, depending on how customized they are. The fines can run as high as $2,000. There is an appeal process that ATV owners can pursue to get their bikes back, but police say the majority never do, resulting in 80% of the seized bikes being destroyed.

» READ MORE: The ins and outs of Philly ATVs and how bike life continues to flourish here

Still, there is a camp of ATV advocates calling for the creation of bike parks where young people could be free to take part in bike life without worrying about fines.