More than 100 ATV, dirt bike riders arrested during MLK Day crackdown in Miami-Dade


Nearly 150 people have been arrested in the last three days as part of a public safety operation to crack down on the illegal use of all-terrain vehicles, dirt bikes, and motorcycles during the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend, Miami-Dade County Police announced.

“We will continue to have Zero Tolerance for anyone breaking traffic laws and being reckless in our county,” the agency said in a written statement.

The enforcement operation started Friday as part of the department’s safety initiative for the holiday weekend and is expected to end by next Friday, barring any major overnight incidents or accidents. It’s a clamp down on an annual event where riders illegally drive unauthorized vehicles on highways and streets, where they engage in “stunting,” and do wheelies and other dangerous tricks. The event, informally known as “Wheels Up, Guns Down” began years ago during MLK weekend as a peaceful stand against gun violence.

READ MORE: Police issue warning about ‘Wheels Up, Guns Down’ — to both bike riders and drivers

“They cause a traffic hazard whenever they are operated amongst vehicular traffic on the roadway. And they are typically operated in an unsafe manner,” said Miami-Dade County Detective Andre Martin, the media liaison for the MLK holiday operation.

Florida law only allows drivers to use all-terrain vehicles during the day on unpaved roads and highways that have a speed limit of less than 35 miles an hour, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. It’s also up to counties to allow where drivers can use these kinds of vehicles. Miami-Dade has designed some areas for this purpose.

“But they are extremely limited,” said Martin.

Martin also told the Miami Herald that because drivers will ride in large packs, obstruct traffic and behave in disruptive ways, this has previously sparked disputes between all-terrain drivers, dirt bike riders and motorists. People have also been injured and died in accidents related to the event.

“Those disputes have been known to become violent,” he said.

This weekend, county police seized 20 firearms, issued 554 citations and 173 warning situations, impounded 58 vehicles, and recovered 14 stolen vehicles, according to Miami-Dade.

READ MORE: Child on ATV crashes with car; airlifted to trauma center in South Miami-Dade

On Jan. 14 alone, the agency said it had carried out 48 arrests, issued 90 citations, and recovered 5 stolen vehicles.

“We will continue to protect our roadways by enforcing traffic laws and increasing patrol throughout the long weekend. We have a Zero Tolerance for anyone breaking traffic laws and being reckless in our county. DO NOT drive unauthorized vehicles on roadways,” said the agency on X, the site previously known as Twitter.



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