Dirt Biker Dies In Crash

Drones and seizure.

We are watching the breakdown of society.
150+ opioid deaths per day.
How many others by alcohol? Cocaine? Heroine? Suicide by whatever.
The solution is not to punish the drug takers, but to look at the root causes. People without jobs, without hope, without options.
People without communities or families to sustain them.
This is what the end of an era looks like.

Patricia, I favor the decriminalization/legalization of drugs for the same reasons you do, and we need to identify the root causes of substance abuse. But this arrest was for behavior analogous to an open container violation. I'm generally fine with people possessing and using pot. But I don't want stoned people operating motor vehicles.

@Kevin McCarthy: It would be absurd to argue in favor of any impaired driver of any vehicle, but the report does not state that those arrested were using, merely that they possessed crack or marijuana.

Legalize, tax, and regulate all drugs and treat abuse of drugs like abuse of alcohol. Never happen, because cops, prison guards and lawyers would lose a lot of money. The drug dealers and the drug wars would also end.

I'm sorry anyone died, but the kids on these bikes have to start obeying the laws . You can't just drive around terrorizing everyone..

Let's stay focused here. A young man unfortunately lost his life because of reckless behavior while operating a motorized bike illegally. During the warm weather many neighborhoods, including mine, routinely witness the 'breakdown of society' while these adult children entertain themselves and others by popping wheelies, go down one-way streets in the wrong direction, weave perilously in and out of traffic ... all at high rates of speed. We witness the breakdown of society when bikers threaten drivers who don't make way for them. We witness the breakdown of society when dirt bike riders taunt police because they know we have a no chase law. We witness the breakdown of society when dirt bikes run recklessly thru sidewalks and city parks where children are trying to play. We witness the breakdown of society when young the children then emulate these adult children by riding down the middle of the street in traffic popping wheelies on regular bicycles because this is what they see their 'big brothers' doing. I drove by the scene of the accident on Sunday evening where the crowd was very large and very loud, cars were double parked, the crown was spilling into the street, walking in front of moving cars, holding up traffic, bottles in hand and the air filled with loud music and the smell of weed. The atmosphere was more like a block party than a vigil, complete with more dirt bikes, quads. The people who live where the 'vigil' was being held were probably too afraid to come out let alone complain for fear of retaliation. Yes ... we are witnessing the breakdown of society. Not because of lack of access to bike trails, or no jobs, or living without hope or options. That young man made a choice .. the wrong one obviously ... but he had options. I'm sorry for his death, but not being allowed to ride a dirt bike illegally is not part of the struggle.

Patricia, I said the arrestee's behavior was analogous to a violation of an open container law, not DWI. In most states, possession of an open container of booze in a vehicle is an offense, whether or not the possessor had been drinking. Federal law (23 USC § 154) requires redirection of part of federal highway construction funds for states, such as CT, that do not have such laws.