A swarm of motorcycles, mopeds and off-road vehicles of all shapes and sizes numbering 1,000 to 2,000 brought traffic on Old Route 22 to a standstill over the weekend when their riders stopped and revved their engines in the middle of Shartlesville, state police said.
According to state police:
Troopers from the Hamburg station were on routine patrol in Upper Bern Township about 2 p.m. Saturday when they saw the throng— which included ATVs, side-by-side utility vehicles and other off-road vehicle — roaring eastbound on Old Route 22.
At the intersection with Wolf Creek Road in the village of Shartlesville, the group stopped, blocking vehicles from moving through the intersection.
Riders revved their engines, spun their tires and performed burnouts in the road, creating excessive noise and unsafe conditions.
Troopers tried to disperse the group. While most riders dispersed, a 16-year-old boy from Grantville, Dauphin County, was seen trying to restart a moped in the intersection.
He was arrested on charges of risking a catastrophe, obstructing highways and various summary traffic violations.
Troopers also charged his mother, Lynette Ortiz Garcia, 33, with corruption of minors in connection with her son’s actions. She was mailed a summons to appear for arraignment later.
