A bizarre incident unfolded on the residential streets of Oceanside this week when a helicopter and a half-dozen sheriff’s patrol cars chased a teen fleeing on an electric dirt bike.
The suspect, identified as Hunter Belish, is accused of driving over 50 mph, running multiple red lights and even knocking down a deputy on his motorcycle, according to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office. He was arrested on suspicion of felony eluding police and reckless driving.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, the pursuit began at 3:15 p.m. Tuesday, when a motorcycle deputy attempted a traffic stop as Belish was riding an unregistered Arctic Leopard electric dirt bike. The 19-year-old man ran down North Melrose Drive at high speed, using the bicycle lane to cross traffic.
Belish temporarily eluded officers by making a sudden U-turn and speeding straight toward the pursuing motorcycle deputy. He hit the deputy’s motorcycle and knocked it down.
A Sheriff’s Office helicopter then located Belish a short distance away near Panorama Ridge and directed deputies to his location, where he was taken into custody without incident.
Neither he nor the motorcycle deputy were injured during the pursuit.
But neighbor Jody Taylor, a former emergency medical technician who witnessed the incident, raised questions about the dangers of stalking teenagers in this manner.
“Now we’re doing police work on e-bikes?” He told NBC7. “It’s not worth the lives he put at risk for this, including his own.”
Electric bikes, motorcycles and dirt bikes have grown in popularity in recent years and are especially popular among teenagers, offering them a new means of freedom and adrenaline. But the high speed of vehicles comes with real dangers.
In April, a 14-year-old boy in Orange County was arrested on suspicion of hitting an 81-year-old pedestrian while riding an electric motorcycle and then fleeing the scene.
The victim, substitute teacher and veteran Ed Ashman, remained hospitalized in critical condition Thursday an update Posted on GoFundMe.
In September, a family from Los Angeles filed a lawsuit Allegations against the Los Angeles Police Department that officers intentionally crashed her 16-year-old son’s motorcycle into a police cruiser. The lawsuit alleges the incident left the teen with “catastrophic injuries,” including fractures to his shoulder, leg and jaw, and severe internal bleeding.
In response to Tuesday’s discovery, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office issued a statement reminding the public of the difference between e-bikes and electric motorcycles.
The Sheriff’s Office said, “Although properly classified and equipped e-bikes can be operated on public roads in accordance with California law, electric motorcycles are not permitted for use on public roads unless they meet the full requirements for street-legal motorcycles, including registration, licensing and insurance.”
In California, there are no age restrictions for riding Class 1 e-bikes, which are pedal-assisted, and Class 2 models, which are pedal- and throttle-assisted; Both classes reach up to 20 mph. Class 3 e-bikes, which can go up to 28 mph, can only be ridden by people 16 and older.
Most electric motorcycles and dirt bikes cannot be registered for use on public roads. These vehicles are designed for off-road riding and can reach top speeds of 40 to 70 mph.
