An 11-year-old’s ride to a fishing spot in Oviedo, Florida, ended with police stopping him, fingerprinting him, towing his electric dirt bike, and ordering him to appear in court.
Cade Kirchner, a sixth grader, was riding toward a nearby pond with his fishing pole on Labor Day, September 7.
His father, Chris Kirchner, said Cade was about 300 feet from home and traveling on the road’s shoulder.
The family says the bike was limited to 20 miles per hour. FOX 35 Orlando reported that police classified it as a motorcycle under Florida law.
They say the 4,500-watt machine has pegs instead of pedals, so Florida law classifies it as a motorcycle, not an e-bike, meaning it needs registration, insurance, a motorcycle endorsement, and a licensed adult rider.
The citation was issued under Florida Statute 320.02 for an unregistered vehicle, which requires a court appearance.
Because Cade had no driver’s license, they put his fingerprint on the ticket to satisfy ID rules. The bike was towed because it “is not legally allowed on the roadway.”
Oviedo Mayor Megan Sladek called Cade a “good kid” but said officers’ hands were tied by state definitions. Police added they could have piled on more citations and chose only one.
“The State of Florida regulates motorcycle use, and the definition of what counts as a motorcycle and what counts as an e-bike,” Mayor Sladek said.
“Even if it has two wheels, if it doesn’t have pedals, the State of Florida will classify that as a motorcycle and not as an e-bike.”
Body-camera footage shows an officer warning Cade that he had to appear in court or “they’re going to put out a warrant.”
The hearing is scheduled for a school day, meaning the sixth grader will have to miss class. ClickOrlando reported that his father plans to ask prosecutors to dismiss the case.
According to the news outlet, Cade got his e-bike after raising $900 through his summer business selling squirrel tables.
The post Cops Fingerprint an 11-Year-Old Boy, Tow His Electric Dirt Bike With a City Wrecker, and Threaten a WARRANT After He Rode 300 Feet From Home to Go Fishing appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.