Dirt bike rider accused of angrily kicking up rocks at child turns himself in

BELLINGHAM, Mass. — A dirt bike rider accused of angrily kicking up rocks at a family and striking a child on a popular trail in Bellingham has turned himself in.

A witness says the incident happened on Saturday afternoon on the Southern New England Trunkline Trail (SNETT), a recreational path where dirt bikes are restricted.

The man was driving erratically, weaving between people when a couple walking with their child in a stroller began recording his behavior. The rider became agitated and spun his tire, intentionally kicking dirt and rocks at the family and striking the child in the face, police said in a Facebook post Tuesday. The child did not appear to be injured, a witness told Boston 25 News.

“The guy from the couple said something to him,” said the witness who identified himself only as Chris. “I didn’t hear what he said. But clearly he upset him, because he suddenly hit the accelerator, started kicking up dirt, which headed toward the kid and the mother. He nearly hit me as he went flying past.”

Police say that, since releasing his photo, the public has helped identify the man, eventually leading him to turning himself in.

Bellingham resident Ashley Jolicoeur was shocked by the Facebook post from police. She believes she had a run-in with the same dirt biker earlier this summer.

“My initial thought was, ‘He’s still out there. How?’” Jolicoeur said. “He has the demeanor of, ‘I don’t care; I do what I want.’”

Jolicoeur was with her husband and two children when a young man on a dirt bike rode up behind them, swerving between people before a similar episode. A man behind them shouted to warn them.

“He was coming right at us. We got out of his way. He kicked up the dirt and the gravel,” Jolicoeur said. “He ended up turning back around… My husband and I kind of went at him just to block our kids. When he looked at me, it was not a nice countenance. He was pretty rude.”

Bellingham police said on social media they are looking for the rider to “have a chat with him.” It is unclear what, if any, charges could be filed against him.

Cox Media Group