A Broward Sheriff’s Office deputy is not facing investigation after a viral video showed his vehicle striking the back wheel of a young cyclist’s bike, followed by the deputy tackling the youth, officials said Tuesday.
The deputy was among the law enforcement officers who responded just after 3 p.m. Monday to reports of juveniles “riding bicycles recklessly and engaging in unlawful activity” on Hillsboro Boulevard in Deerfield Beach, according to the Broward Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies found the group performing dangerous bicycle stunts, running red lights, and blocking intersections, which disrupted traffic and posed a danger to the cyclists and the public, the sheriff’s office said. The deputy’s unmarked vehicle struck the juvenile’s bicycle, and he then tackled the youth as law enforcement attempted to break up the group.
Deputies said the boy was taken to the hospital as a precaution and then released with a juvenile citation. Other juveniles were also cited for violations, such as disobeying red lights and not wearing bike helmets.
According to the Broward Sheriff’s Office, the cyclists’ actions are part of an “ongoing, organized pattern of reckless behavior by groups of juvenile bicyclists that encourages and rewards dangerous stunts and activities in traffic on busy South Florida roads.”
