An 11-year-old boy in Oviedo, Florida, has been arrested and ordered to appear in court after police stopped him while he was riding an electric dirt bike to go fishing.
Cade Kirchner was pulled over on 7 September while travelling along the shoulder of a road near his home. He was fingerprinted, issued a citation and released to his parents, while the bike was seized and towed.
His father, Chris Kirchner, said Cade had been riding with a fishing pole and was about 300ft from home when an Oviedo police officer stopped him. The boy had saved $900 from a summer business selling squirrel tables to buy the bike, according to a report by local broadcaster WKMG.
The family says the machine was capped at 20mph and believed it qualified as an e-bike. However, city officials said it was a 4,500-watt vehicle without pedals and was therefore treated as a motorcycle under Florida law.
Why the electric dirt bike was treated as a motorcycle
Under Florida’s definitions, an electric bicycle must have fully operable pedals and an electric motor producing less than 750 watts. The city said Cade’s vehicle had foot pegs instead of pedals and did not meet that definition.
Oviedo officials said the vehicle would have needed to be registered and meet roadworthiness requirements before being used on public roads. Its rider would also have required a driving licence with a motorcycle endorsement.
The citation was issued under Florida’s vehicle-registration law, which requires a mandatory court appearance. Because Cade did not have a driving licence or other identification, police placed his fingerprint on the citation, the city said.
A traffic report cited by WKMG also listed alleged issues including a lack of insurance, a motorcycle endorsement and eye protection. The city said the officer issued one citation despite there being several possible violations.
Body-camera footage showed an officer telling Cade he would need to attend court, warning: “You’ve got to show up or they’ll put out a warrant.” His hearing is due to take place on 29 September, meaning he is expected to miss school.
Mr Kirchner said police had treated his son as though he were an adult motorcyclist and described the decision to tow the bike as excessive. He said he planned to ask prosecutors to dismiss the case because of Cade’s age and the circumstances.
Oviedo Mayor Megan Sladek described Cade as a “good kid” but said officers were required to follow the state’s definitions. She said the city was working on clearer local rules covering e-bikes, scooters and other small motorised vehicles.
City leaders are due to discuss a proposed micromobility ordinance at a work session before a formal vote scheduled for 5 October.
