ATV punks repeatedly run over man after making him crash

An encounter with a group of males on all-terrain vehicles turned into a nightmare last evening for a motorist in Kensington.

The driver, 29, a Philadelphia man, wound up in critical condition at Temple University Hospital after being run over repeatedly by some of the vehicles, which were ridden by eight to 10 males, according to police.

About 7:30 last night, the driver found his way blocked by the riders on the 400 block of East Ontario, near the McKinley Recreation Center, and an argument ensued, according to police.

The riders threw objects at car and pursued as it tried to get away, but after only a block or two, the car crashed into several parked vehicles in the 3400 block of Hurley Street, police said.

When the driver got out, he was knocked down and run over at least several times by the vehicles, police said.

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/59325102.html?cmpid=15585797

Hope they catch the damn punks.

Why do you allow them to ride on Philly streets without being ticketed by police?

I understand that you don't want to get in a chase situation with them, but please the lawlessness on our streets has to end.

I feel like I'm living in the freaking Thunderdome.

But the Police Department's strict pursuit policy can stymie officers' efforts to collar ATV offenders. The policy permits pursuits only if the officer believes it will prevent someone's death or serious injury; or if a pursuit is necessary to nab someone who committed, or tried to commit, a violent felony, or who possesses a deadly weapon.

"These ATVs are not legal (to operate) on the street," Vanore said. "When we are safely able to stop them, we confiscate them. The problem is safely stopping them. A lot of these things take off, and they can go down narrow alleys, on sidewalks, the wrong way on streets. The only thing pursuing them does is create more of a hazard."

Statistics on how many ATVs the Police Department confiscates yearly weren't immediately available.

City Councilman Frank DiCicco, who held public hearings about five years ago on illegal ATVs, agreed that they remain a problem on city streets.

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/homepage/20090916_No_boundaries_on_ATVs__turf_in_Kensington.html

Wonder what the response will be now that someone is critically injured by these jerks? I feel for anyone having to put up with these punks.

You can't be engaging in semi-high speed pursuits with a vehicle that can go places that regular cop cars can't - like down alley ways, through parks, etc.

And confiscate ATV's illegally on the streets.

shoot to kill. weeding out the assholes.

Which is true. But the point is that riding these ATVs on city streets is illegal. And they're not exactly hard to spot (or hear). My general feeling on the matter is that permitting lawlessness begets further lawlessness.

It's not a good feeling to watch people flagrantly breaking the law in front of cops with no reaction. It does not make people feel good about living in this city.

ATV's or motorcycles and get them on the streets.

It would probably only take one or two arrests to serve as a deterent.

ASAP

Our local cops ride dual sports. No ATV is going to run away from them if they choose to give chase.

Was this a gang war? Did he cross over into the wrong turf?
Was it some other kind of retaliation?
Or was it just random wrong-place-at-the-wrong-time attack, and this group of thugs just wanted to experience the thrill of savagely beating someone?

the more white trash version of biker gangs.

Not suggesting anything there, just a resident of the city clarifying a fact.

that's very different than here.

Around here it's mostly poor white folk with ATVs.

You know, $300,000+ houses that even though cost a bundle are basically pre-fab, and spring up in clusters out in rural areas that used to be nice and quiet, and asshole-free. I encountered a group of them just last weekend, but nothing confrontational about it.

I live out in the twigs (thats well past the sticks). ATV riders like to use my property as entry to some public lands behind me. There is no easement and BLM etc would just as soon not have them there. I used to chain the private road which is effectively my driveway. They would cut it and proceed to park and at times camp on what is my front yard. They were not interested in leaving. I also posted signs etc and started towing them away. Nothing makes a bubba meltdown faster than to come back to his "camp" and find his truck or trailer gone. It got ugly a few times and finally the sheriff asked me to stop towing since he did not want people shot over it. Finally I ponied up the $$$ to have a large powered gate installed at a choke point. The incidents dropped off, but there are still a few now and then.

just a bunch of punk bitches...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C07Bb8e-wls&feature=fvw

see the videos in the post below as well

Though people ride dirt-bikes in the city too, it sounds like this crime was committed by people riding four-wheelers.

But, yes, I spend most of my time in West Philly, South Philly and Center City. I cannot speak with authority about who rides ATVs in North and Northeast Philly. But I will say that the Kensington section of the city is heavily African American, which prompted me to speculate about this incident.

looks like the whole area should be leveled to me...

I did see the victim was black. I see an earlier poster saying these riders could be black?

That the atv/four wheeler gangs in Philly are not "white-trash". I think the groups in question are racially diverse. It is the vehicle of choice for drug dealers because the cops, can't/wont chase them.

http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/news-and-opinion/cover-story/top_10_drug_corners-38426414.html

I was going by my experiences around here, which are apparently very different than in philly.

.... that the cops won't be able to track one of em down - provided there's incentive to do so.

It is one of the most drug and crime-infested sections of the city.

Love to make videos..."above the law" - just stupid fuckers who think they are the urban ghost rider...

NORTH PHILLY 4 WHEELIN #2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5QtUYioz8g

Baltimore Dirt Bikers vs Philly
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiFn2nXQn34&feature=PlayList&p=E6833A955E4B810E&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=16

Urban Street Riders - Allen pushes it to the limit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgEYzr9wD6o&feature=PlayList&p=4BAFF57AF4DAE1E9&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=33