WILMINGTON, DE — A 36-year-old man faces charges after Wilmington Police allege he was illegally operating a dirt bike on city streets Monday afternoon, resulting in the off-highway vehicle being seized.
Police identified the man as Edison Salazar-Calle.
At approximately 3:29 p.m. Aug. 11, an officer with the Wilmington Police Special Operations Division Traffic Unit was conducting an unrelated investigation near South Van Buren and Elm streets when the officer allegedly observed Salazar-Calle operating the dirt bike illegally, according to police.
The officer stopped the dirt bike and made contact with Salazar-Calle, police reported. He was subsequently charged with offenses related to the off-highway vehicle, although authorities did not specify the individual charges.
Police seized the dirt bike pending further proceedings.
Delaware law defines off-highway vehicles to include dirt bikes and ATVs and requires them to be registered with the state. Wilmington regulations also prohibit operating such vehicles on public streets, sidewalks and rights-of-way and impose additional requirements on off-highway vehicles kept within the city.
Under Wilmington Ordinance 18-040, violations can carry a $2,000 civil fine in addition to other applicable penalties. The ordinance also provides circumstances under which police may confiscate an off-highway vehicle. The ordinance is available at https://library.municode.com/de/wilmington/ordinances/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=901246.
Police are asking anyone with information about illegal off-highway vehicle activity, including where the vehicles are being operated or stored, to contact Cpl. Keith Johnson of the Special Operations Division Traffic Unit at 302-571-4415 or Keith.Johnson@cj.state.de.us.
Information can also be provided to Wilmington Police at 302-654-5151 or through the department’s crime tip hotline at 302-576-3990. Callers may remain anonymous.
All suspects, arrestees, and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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