05/28/2026
There is a popular saying going around these days that we can’t use on our official social media accounts, but needless to say, this juvenile “Found Out.”
After an extensive community awareness and education campaign about e-bicycles, e-scooters, and e-motos via our social media, local media, coordinated messaging with the Winters Joint Unified School District, and in-person presentations at schools, Winters Police Department officers began directed enforcement focusing on education, including providing helmets.
Unfortunately, one young local man on an e-moto fled several times from officers over the last few weeks. On one occasion, he sped across Rotary Park and onto the Creekwalk and another time through a crowded apartment complex, not only endangering himself but endangering pedestrians and other traffic on both occasions. On yet another occasion, he was brazen enough to ride past an officer already engaged on a traffic stop, mouth off to the officer, then pop a wheelie and speed off.
Officers developed information from multiple sources to identify the 13-year-old juvenile. The officers were intending to make contact to arrest him and seize the device the evening of May 27th at his home to avoid another dangerous situation on the streets of Winters, and there was discussion about the possibility of seeking charges against the parents for child endangerment for providing an illegal and dangerous device to their child (see below why).
Coincidentally, the same juvenile was involved in another incident at Winters Middle School earlier that same day where he pointed a laser pointer in another student’s eyes. That student complained of pain to the eye and a migraine as a result of the assault. The parents had contacted Winters PD and wanted to press charges.
The juvenile and his parents were contacted at their residence in Winters later that same evening. The parents were cooperative with the officers after being advised of their son's activities. They advised the e-moto was at a local repair shop, which was closed for the day, but assured officers they would be selling it immediately. The juvenile was arrested and booked at Yolo County Juvenile Hall for felony evasion, misdemeanor reckless driving, and misdemeanor pointing a laser at a person. Officers followed up at the repair shop the next morning and were advised the parents had already retrieved the device, stating it was being removed from Winters.
The Winters Police Department, local officials, and the Winters Joint Unified School District are imploring parents to be aware of the legality of the devices they are purchasing and providing to their children. This includes e-scooters!!!
THESE DEVICES ARE NOT TOYS!!! A parent in Lake Forest, CA has been charged with involuntary manslaughter for their 14-year-old son running into and killing an elderly man and parents in Benicia, CA have been charged with child abuse after their 17-year-old son crashed his e-moto and suffered catastrophic injuries. Both these incidents involved the same e-moto that our local juvenile was riding, which can accelerate from 0 to 31 MPH in 2.7 seconds and achieve speeds up to 49 MPH.
