Image via WPLG/YouTube
One wouldn’t think an ATV would be good for leading police on a long chase, but that’s actually not true. We’re not encouraging anyone to do something like this, but a Florida man sped around Miami-Dade, then in to Broward County, leading police on a chase which last for over 40 minutes.
Watch cops bust a dirt biker street takeover participant.
Local news station WPLG broadcast part of the chase on YouTube, jumping in after it was already in progress and it’s wild to watch (we’ve included it so you can check out the chase for yourself).
The rider was wearing a black ski mask, although it isn’t clear if the guy had committed another crime and that’s why he was concealing his identity or if he had planned to get into a police chase, maybe for fun.
He really goes for it on the city streets as police trail behind. They can’t exactly PIT an ATV without risking seriously injuring or maybe even killing the rider, so their options for ending the pursuit are more limited than if they were dealing with a car.
This is why street takeovers involving ATVs, dirt bikes, and motorcycles are difficult to stop. The vehicles can drive up on sidewalks and go other places police cruisers can’t. And traditional chase techniques aren’t really an option.
During the chase, police kept trying to corner the ATV but the guy uses the maneuverability of the vehicle to slip past them and keep the chase going. But he can’t hit the kind of speeds where cruiser can’t keep up.
Plus, undoubtedly there’s a police helicopter in the air, not just the news chopper. So even if he could lose police on the ground he can’t truly ditch authorities. Still, he just keeps on going.
After almost 40 minutes into the livestream, the ATV slows down and the guy suddenly pulls onto a sidewalk. It’s possible the vehicle literally ran out of gas, ending the chase.
Image via WPLG/YouTube
