Mayor Provides More Information On Possible ATV Regulations

Off-road vehicle use has come under greater scrutiny after a New Bedford Police Officer was hospitalized after being struck by a motorbike on Halloween night.

Mayor Jon Mitchell continued to discuss the issue on his weekly radio program, saying that off road vehicle use has been a problem in New Bedford for a long time and expressed strong disagreement with those who want to see a dedicated area for atv use in the city.

"Those people who say 'well they need a place to go and in the city there are limited places where you can drive ATV's,' that's nonsense," said Mitchell "they don't belong driving down city streets, to my mind, and the way that it's done currently, the way I've personally witnessed it, is just totally unacceptable."

In response Mayor Mitchell instructed the City Solicitor to look at what regulations could be put in place to deal with the issue, but says there are some "definitional issues" that need to be worked out before a new policy is put in place.

"So what we want to make clear is what the fines are, which vehicles this applies to, and what happens when one is seized," said Mitchell.

One approach Mayor Mitchell said he would like to see is one that would ensure the off-road vehicles don't return to local streets after they are seized.

"The city's not going to auction it off, the city's going to destroy the thing, or send it off to Montana where it can be auctioned off out there," said Mitchell "you're not getting the thing back."

The injured officer, Sgt. Candido Trinidad was released from Rhode Island Hospital later that night after being treated for serious injuries related to the incident.