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Dirt Bike Ride End Not So Joyful
joyride
This was the view from the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department helicopter, tracking a pair of dirt bike riders through Riverbank on Saturday afternoon, April 25. One arrest resulted from the incident. Sheriff's Department Photo

Riverbank Police Services (RPS) Deputies observed two individuals riding their dirt bikes through Castleberg Park, as well as on roadways, and sidewalks in the vicinity of the park on Saturday, April 25 around 2:30 p.m.

After three attempts to stop the joy ride it finally ended without accident, injury or property damage and resulted in one arrest.

Roberto Alvarez, 31, was arrested for felony evading and a 22-year-old man was cited for operating a vehicle without the correct class of license. Both men are from Riverbank, said authorities.

Deputies attempted to stop them but they fled. Deputies did not pursue the subjects; however, they did search the area and found the dirt bike riders and tried to stop them once again. They fled once more. Alvarez was seen on Townsend Avenue and once he saw the patrol vehicle he made a U-turn and fled recklessly.

A California Highway Patrol (CHP) officer was in the area and also attempted to stop the dirt bike riders, to no avail, as they fled.

RPS and CHP did not engage in a vehicle pursuit as they considered all factors in the situation including public safety.

The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department aircraft was on regular patrol at the time when they heard the incident on the radio and joined in getting a “bird’s eye view” of the subjects riding through neighborhoods, crossing streets, and jumping on canals to get to their final destination where they tried to hide the bikes in a backyard.

The aircraft led units to the area where Alvarez was arrested for felony reckless evading. The other rider was cited for driving out of class and having an expired registration. The two dirt bikes were towed.