There are probably smoother ways to avoid talking to police than launching yourself over the handlebars of an e-bike. According to Denver Police, that’s essentially how one man’s escape attempt ended before officers even had the chance to catch up with him.
The Denver Police Department says District 3 Anti-Crime Team officers were conducting proactive patrols in the Baker neighborhood on August 5 when they spotted a man riding an e-bike along the sidewalk in the 100 block of West Alameda Avenue.
When officers attempted to stop him, police say the rider instead tried to flee through a gas station parking lot. That plan didn’t last very long, because he struck a curb, flipped over the handlebars, and landed on the ground.
Even after crashing, police say the man tried walking away before officers caught up with him. What they discovered afterward turned what started as an e-bike stop into a considerably more serious arrest.
The Curb Ended the Escape Before Police Did
According to Denver Police, officers moved toward the rider after watching him crash, but he still attempted to leave the area on foot. Once they made contact, police say a brief struggle followed before officers were able to take him safely into custody.
The department says officers then identified the suspect as someone who had previously been convicted of a felony. More importantly, police say he was found carrying a ghost gun.
Ghost guns are privately assembled firearms that can lack the identifying markings normally associated with commercially manufactured weapons, such as a serial number. In this case, however, the most significant issue raised by police was the suspect’s status as a previously convicted felon.
Paramedics medically cleared the man at the scene following his crash, and police said he did not appear to have suffered injuries from flipping over the handlebars. He was then arrested for investigation of possession of a weapon by a previous offender.
As always, the department noted that the suspect is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Commenters Couldn’t Get Past the Handlebar Flip
A lot of commenters admittedly found one particular part of the arrest funnier than everything else. One person asked whether they were “the only one that started laughing out loud” when the story reached the part where the rider hit the curb and went flying over the handlebars.
Another joked that the suspect was innocent “until they run and flip over their handlebars,” while someone else offered perhaps the most useful advice of the entire thread: if you’re a felon carrying an illegal gun, maybe don’t attract police attention by riding an e-bike somewhere you’re not supposed to.
Others were more critical of what originally prompted the stop. Some questioned why police were focusing on an e-bike rider on the sidewalk, with one commenter sarcastically writing, “How dare you ride an e-bike on a sidewalk?” Another argued officers should spend more time targeting dangerous drivers and serious traffic violations.
The department’s terminology caused some confusion, too. Several people asked what “POWPO” meant after Denver Police used it in the headline, while another suggested that police avoid jargon when writing posts intended for the general public.