Police: Dirt bike drivers threaten Salisbury officer making arrest

Two people on dirt bikes circled and threatened a Salisbury police officer who was on Prince Street arresting one of their companions, the Salisbury Police Department says.

The two fled the area before police assistance arrived, police said.

The incident happened around 4 p.m. Wednesday, July 26, when off-road vehicle drivers eluded a police officer who tried to stop them in the Truitt Street area near Route 50, police said.

Police arrested the operator of an ATV after an officer on patrol spotted him and two others driving off-road vehicles at a high rate of speed, police said.

Off-road vehicles are not allowed on municipal roadways, police said. Also, the ATV driver, identified as Irving Henderson Jones III, and the two dirt bike operators, were not wearing helmets and their vehicles were not registered, police said.

The officer spotted the three drivers nearby as they stopped to refuel, police said. Two drivers fled on their dirt bikes, while Jones was caught in the 500 block of Prince Street after abandoning the ATV and fleeing on foot, police said.

READ MORE:Police: Identity thief expands credit card fraud scheme to Salisbury

READ MORE: ATVs and the streets

The 33-year-old Jones, of Salisbury, is charged with fleeing and eluding, failure to obey and reckless driving.

While the officer was arresting Jones and awaiting police backup, the dirt bike drivers appeared and "began to circle the officer while making threatening comments directed at the arresting officer," police said.

They fled on their dirt bikes before backup police officers arrived at the scene, police said.

They are identified as black men and the dirt bikes are described as green and white, and black.

No one was injured in the incident, police said. 

Salisbury Police Chief Barbara Duncan commended the officer for "proactive and intelligent work to rid our city streets of the reckless and dangerous use of off-road vehicles."

"I encourage everyone who knows of someone engaging in this very dangerous and illegal behavior to convince that person to ride responsibly," the chief said in a statement.

Anyone with information about the dirt bike drivers should contact Crime Solvers of the Lower Eastern Shore at 410-548-1776, or the Salisbury Police Department at 410-548-3165.