Two teens were arrested on March 10 after leading police on a chase on their e-bikes.
Watsonville Police Sgt. Jarrod Pisturino said the department had received numerous complaints about youths speeding through and around the Vista Montaña housing project off of East Lake Avenue at Bridge Street.
When police arrived around 5pm, two teen males sped off on the E-bikes, leading police in patrol cars and a motorcycle on a lengthy, twisting chase around the complex, up and down Bridge Street, onto the Corralitos Creek levee, along sidewalks and around baseball diamonds. WPD eventually caught both of them, took the pair of teens into custody and impounded their bikes that are not legal on public property, roads, public parks or sidewalks.
The original story drew a mix of reactions, from people saying the teens were merely having fun to those expressing concern about the dangers of the fast-moving machines. One writer said that the police never would have caught them, since they knew “every ally (sic) every cut every street.”
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E-bike rules (Source: California Highway Patrol)
To ride on public roads, electric motorcycles must be street legal. Riders must:
- Have a valid driver license with a Class M1 endorsement
- Wear a DOT-approved helmet
- Register the vehicle with the California DMV
- Display a license plate
- Have required safety equipment (headlight, brake light, turn signals)
- Carry liability insurance
Note: Many electric motorcycles are designed for off-highway use and must be registered with the DMV as off-highway vehicles (OHV).
Parents/guardians: Adults can be cited under CVC 14607 for knowingly allowing an unlicensed minor under 18 to drive a motor vehicle on a public road.
