More Bikes
July 28, 2022
Charlotte, N.C. — A group of bicyclists were charged with reckless driving last Thursday by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.
Police said an assault committed earlier by one of the cyclists in uptown Charlotte led them to the bicycle gang.
Five bikes were seized during the arrest, the police posted Tuesday on Twitter.
The reason police gave on Twitter for arresting the group of bicyclists was that they were disrupting drivers and causing chaos. Reckless driving, as defined under state law, is the “wanton disregard for the rights and safety of others.” According to the North Carolina Department of Transportation Division of Bicycle & Pedestrian Transportation, bicyclists can be charged with reckless driving.
The five people arrested were all ages, with the oldest being 39 and the youngest 15.
“The CMPD is aware of the ongoing issue with bicycle groups riding recklessly in Uptown and other parts of [Charlotte]. Our officers will continue proactive patrols to hold these individuals accountable for their actions, seizing bicycles and in some instances, firearms,” the police wrote on Twitter.
People who spoke to local news station WSOC-TV said that the group of cyclists appear to be “purposely trying to hit cars.”
A parent of the cyclists, a 15 year old who had already been arrested and charged this month for driving recklessly and disrupting motorists, was cited for contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
A 17-year-old bicyclist arrested last Thursday was also charged with resisting arrest, police said.
“This group rides in a pack while doing wheelies, failing to obey traffic lights, riding on sidewalks, riding the wrong way in traffic, playing chicken with motorists, and other traffic violations,” according to a CMPD tweet.
The Associated Press reports four teen bicyclists were arrested on March 31 after a driver accused them of assaulting him and stealing his car. Police said a car collided with the group of teens, and when the driver got out to check on one of them, the group beat him up and took his car and personal items.
A similar incident happened on April 17, when a group of people on bicycles fled after a man was shot in the spine near a park after a fight. Two men and a teen were later charged. It’s unclear if last Thursday’s arrests are also linked to similar robbery and assault incidents in the Charlotte area.
