Teen arrested in Imperial County after riding electric bike on highway

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - A minor in Imperial County was arrested after riding his electric bike on the highway.

Law enforcement says e-bikes are becoming a huge issue in the Valley and it’s illegal to ride them on the streets.

The Imperial Police Department (IPD) says a 14-year-old boy was riding his e-bike on Highway 86 when he was spotted by a sergeant.

"They are not street legal so that was the violation that the person was going to get pulled over for and the person decided to flee our sergeant, which started the pursuit," said Capt. Max Sheffield of IPD.

It ended on Belford and La Brucherie road but not as peacefully as officers would have liked.

"He was not obeying the commands that the officers were giving him at the time of the arrest and he put up just a small little struggle with the officer at the time," explained Capt. Sheffield.

The teenager was taken to Imperial County Juvenile Hall. He is being charged with fleeing an officer and resisting arrest.

IPD say there's been a huge problem with teenagers riding e-bikes and they've received numerous complaints from locals.