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Thread ID: 80508	2007-06-25 14:47:00	ATV vs Sherif's Vehicle (US)	SurferJoe46 (51)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
562944	2007-06-25 14:47:00	I woke up to this headline in my local newspaper this Monday morning . I see these guys all the time running their dune buggies and ATVs all over the hills in that area, and signs posted everywhere that it is private property and closed to all people and vehicles . The land is fragile there and cutting the surface with tires or horses just makes the land disintegrate when the wind blows, taking the thin crust of topsoil off and opening it for erosion and mudslides . The results of this pursuit a grim, but that's not what caused the death . Disregard for law and rules is so flagrant here with so few police and so many law breakers, that something like this just hits hard . . . but only for a minute . I bet there's people up there today doing the same thing again . . . and they are "teaching" their kids to break the same laws too in the name of "family fun" . :angry Newspaper Textbridge scan follows from local newspaper: A man who eluded police during a chase on a four-wheel all-terrain vehicle was killed when he crashed into a Riverside County sheriff's SUV early Friday, Beaumont police said . Michael Allen Willis, 20, of Banning, was pronounced dead about 12:45 a . m . at the scene, Riverside County coroner's officials said . Willis was wearing a helmet, they said . Willis' family and friends could not be reached for comment Friday . First pix of traffic on Lamb Canyon/Beaumont Boulevard, near HWY10, just 3 miles from my home in San Jacinto . ( . imagef1 . net . nz/files/crash23amla_400 . jpg" target="_blank">www . imagef1 . net . nz)<text under pix: Traffic on northbound Highway 79 was shut down for more than 10 hours at California Street and just south of Interstate 10 after a man died while driving a four-wheel ATV on city streets . > cont'd: The incident, which made the morning commute a nightmare for motorists from the Pass to San Jacinto, began just after midnight when Beaumont police attempted to stop Willis on suspicion of illegally driving the ATV on city streets, California Highway Patrol Officer Dean Corey said . Willis refused to stop and police lost sight of him a few times before seeing him again heading east on First Street, Corey said . As police attempted to get to that area, Willis continued east on First Street at a high rate of speed, failed to stop for a red light and broadsided a sheriff's K-9 unit traveling south on Highway 79, which is also called Beaumont Avenue in that area, Corey said . The deputy was apparently not aware of the pursuit, Corey said . Nobody was chasing Willis at the time of the accident, Corey said . Skid marks led to the site of the impact where Willis was thrown into the sheriff's unit's windshield and then well clear of the unit, Corey said . The impact pushed the sheriff's vehicle into the right shoulder of the northbound lanes of Highway 79, Corey said . "It was a pretty violent impact," Corey said . The unidentified deputy driving the K-9 unit was taken to a hospital with minor injuries and was treated and released, Riverside County sheriff's spokeswoman Herlinda Valenzuela said . second picture ( . imagef1 . net . nz/files/crash23amlb_400 . jpg" target="_blank">www . imagef1 . net . nz)<text under pix: A man driving a four-wheel ATV died after running a red light and broadsiding a sheriff's K-9 unit traveling south on Highway 79 . The deputy was treated at an area hospital for minor injuries . > cont'd: The CHP's Multi Accident Investigation Team spent the rest of the night and morning at the scene . Traffic was shut down for more than 10 hours at Highway 79 and California Street and just south of Interstate 10, CHP officials said . Some traffic was able to travel south on Highway 79 to the San Jacinto Valley, CHP officials said . Northbound traffic was backed up to Gilman Springs, creating havoc as motorists made u-turns to avoid the incident . Many motorists were advised to take Highway 60 and Gilman Springs Road, CHP officials said . Highway 79 was reopened in both directions about 10:45 a . m . , CHP officials said . At Interstate 10 and Beaumont Avenue, some motorists lost patience as they fought to turn around, back up or get back on the freeway . "To close the entire Highway 79 and every other way to get around this mess was a stupid decision," said Shane Pace, of Cabazon, who was trying to get to work . In San Jacinto at a convenience store/gas station off the Ramona Expressway, other motorists were upset about the closure . "I'm taking today off," said Monica Cruz, of Hemet . "I give up . "	SurferJoe46 (51)
562945	2007-06-25 21:36:00	Interestingly, and slightly off-topic, when I visited Germany and Central Europe last August, I was surprised to see ATVs (quad bikes) being used on the roads (with the standard knobbly tires), apparently legally . I could see the sense in it for winter travel, but thought it odd . . . Here in NZ you only see them either on a farm as a work vehicle or on a trailer on their way to a beach or forest track (to play on) .	johcar (6283)
562946	2007-06-26 02:05:00	Yeah..Arizona permits them on the roads too..but they have to have lights and other devices to make them visible...I think a windshield is required too. California makes using them on ANY public street, alley, parking lot or highway illegal. Don't even THINK of saying "Freeway!" PS: I just noticed I left an "f" off "Sheriff"...oops! My bad!	SurferJoe46 (51)
562947	2007-06-26 04:08:00	"f" off "Sheriff". :rolleyes: Did he ... go Joe Seriously, we get that here. There was an article a few weeks ago where a bunch of guys on trail bikes did a heap of damage by doing wheelies and slides. This was in South Island high country land which is pretty fragile. The Department of Conservation Ranger said it would take 20 years for the ground to recover. Then you see a Mitsubishi advert on TV where their wonderful? 4wd chews up heaps of countryside - bad ad that one!! Ken	kenj (9738)
562948	2007-06-26 16:46:00	We get the H-2 and H-3 Hummer ads here with the same abuse of the environment . Maybe only Arnie drives an H-1 . . they (H-1's) are getting less noticeable on the highways here . And, talking about abuse of the environment . . . . we are right now in a very big fire season . . . Lake Tahoe, the Southern part is burning badly . . . . lots of homes lost and I have a very nasty link about it here: . google . com/news/url?sa=t&ct=us/1-0&fp=46811100b55d4253&ei=UCCBRrfDKJDgqwPH57nKBw&url=http%3A//sfgate . com/cgi-bin/article . cgi%3Ffile%3D/c/a/2007/06/26/MNGMDQLP6E1 . DTL&cid=0&sig2=c4P20-NwccT-FjkJNdTxXA" target="_blank">news . google . com Abuse comes in many forms . . . over control and under control . PS: I don't mind being quoted, but keep it the text in context please!~:D	SurferJoe46 (51)
562949	2007-06-26 19:52:00	Sorry about that Joe... couldn't resist it :D Ken	kenj (9738)
562950	2007-06-27 04:25:00	Sorry about that Joe... couldn't resist it :D Ken I'm OK; You're OK It was cute..but funny in a silly way I guess....yup! ;)	SurferJoe46 (51)
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