VIDEO: ATVs Ignore Traffic Light in Providence, City Continues to be Plagued by Illegal Activity
Thursday, July 08, 2021
GoLocal has obtained video on Wednesday of illegal ATVs and off-road vehicles breaking the law and blowing through a traffic light in Providence.
The footage, provided by Providence resident Anthony Sionni, was taken on Broad Street heading downtown, just after 6 PM.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTA rider at the front of the bike gang can be seen flagging riders behind him to drive through a red light; a truck can be seen managing to cross the traffic -- as the light allowed -- before more off-road vehicles follow.
“I see this on a regular basis throughout the city. My fear is that someone is going to get killed,” said Sionni. “Is it so difficult to catch someone driving an ATV? You have about 20 of them here driving down Broad Street in pure daylight with no fear of the law. Mayor Elorza is obviously not interested in putting a stop to this.”
Every night in Providence, off-road vehicles can be seen -- and heard -- operating on city roads, putting motorists and pedestrians in danger.
Latest in Providence
In March, Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza and officials held a press conference, after he announced a new strategy on illegal ATVs just weeks after calling for illegal, unregistered ATVs and bikes to be legalized.
On February 25, Elorza said in a statement to GoLocal, “After several meetings with members of the dirt bike and ATV rider community, my public safety leaders and I decided to pursue state legislation that would resolve some of the challenges we are facing. As currently operated, ATVs and other illegal vehicles pose a danger to those who operate them as well as other drivers and residents.”
The renewed attention to ATVs on city streets came after rider Jhamal Gonsalves was seriously injured in the fall of 2020 after he reportedly collided with a stop sign, following an investigation.
However, the issue has persisted in the city for years — as GoLocal reported in 2017, “Providence East Siders Worried About ATV, Motorbike Incident” and “Police Say They Have Been Ordered Not to Enforce Laws.”
Providence Police did not respond to request for comment at time of publication.
This story was first published 7/7/21 7:39 PM
Related Articles
- PHOTOS: ATV Accidents in Providence Send People to Hospital, 100+ Riders in Group Spark Complaints
- Prov City Councilwoman Ryan Issues Statement on Stolen ATVs
- EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: Highways in Chaos, State Police Make ATV Arrest, Gangs Rampant on 95 &195
- RI State Police Say Illegal Use of ATVs Will Not Be Tolerated, After GoLocal Video
- NEW: Providence to Crack Down on ATVs and Minibikes
- Providence East Siders Worried About ATV, Motorbike Incident
- Police Say They Have Been Ordered Not to Enforce Laws - Video of ATV Gang in Providence
- GoLocal Secures Multiple Videos of ATV Gangs Doing Wheelies In Prov Neighborhoods and on 95
- Councilors Call on Elorza to Revisit “No-Chase” Policy After Latest ATV, Dirt Bike Chaos
- VIDEO: Hundreds of ATVs, Dirt Bikes Run Rampant in Providence on Sunday
- ATVs Ruin Events at Roger Williams Park Zoo, Says Director Criticizing Elorza Legalization Plan
- Elorza’s Push for Legislation to Legalize ATVs on City Streets Draws Strong Reaction
- EDITORIAL: Elorza’s ATV Strategy Is Injuring People and Killing Providence
- Elorza Says He’s Not Proposing Legalizing ATVs—That’s Not True, And We Can Prove It
- VIDEO: Elorza Scrambles, Announces New ATV Strategy After Public Outrage
- Cranston Police Arrest 2 More in ATV/Motorcycle Incident with Officer on New Year’s Day
- Cranston Police Officer Struck, Injured by Group of Dirt Bike and ATV Riders
- WATCH LIVE: Elorza, Providence Police to Address Motorbike Accident, ATVs at 2:30
- Chaos in Providence — Hundreds of ATVs and Dirt Bikes, Crash Investigation and Criticism of Elorza
- Massive ATV, Dirt Bike Ride Tonight in Providence Along With Protest
- WATCH LIVE: Elorza, Providence and State Police to Address Protest, ATVs and Dirt Bikes at 11 A.M.
- ATV Political Battle in Providence Heats Up - Council Criticizes Elorza and His Loyal Ally Flips