Arlington Cyclist Attempts To Evade Police, Crashes Into Police Officer

ARLINGTON, MA — No one really likes getting a ticket, but one allegedly agitated Arlington man attempted to evade a ticket for blowing through a stop sign on the bike path by cycling away from a police officer, even as an officer in a cruiser chased him lights and sirens and all on Monday, according to police.

The man was eventually stopped - and arrested on charges that included assault and battery with a deadly weapon - after he crashed into another cyclist. That cyclist turned out to be an off duty Arlington Police officer. There's a lesson in here somewhere.

The man was arraigned in Cambridge District Court on August 1 and charged with two bicycle violations, failure to stop and failure to identify himself. The case was dismissed on court costs, according to the Middlesex DA's office.

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On Monday, July 31 an officer was patrolling the Minuteman Bike Path monitoring bicycle traffic crossing Mill Street when he saw a man on a black and purple specialized bike traveling on the bike path approach the stop sign and flashing red stop light and then allegedly blow through the intersection without stopping.

When the officer signaled for the cyclist to pull over to the side of the path, the man stopped well past him and then appeared to get upset when the officer told him why he'd pulled him over.

"The bicyclist immediately became agitated," said the report, which added the man told the officer "cops should be enforcing real traffic laws."

When the officer asked the man on the bike for his information so he could issue a citation, he was met with "This is ridiculous... I'm not sticking around."

Then? That man who was pulled over talking to the officer pedaled away.

The officer ordered the bicyclist to stop. But according to the report he kept going. About this time Michael Hogan, an off duty police officer out on a training ride happened upon the scene but rather than identify himself as an officer, he just peddled after the fleeing cyclist to keep an eye on the man, according to the police report.

The first officer jumped in his car, turned on the lights and drove down the path behind the fleeing cyclist and repeatedly sounded the patrol car's siren as the bicyclist continued to ride away increasing speed, according to the report.

The officer saw a section of dirt alongside the path wide enough to pass the bicyclist and block him, but the cyclist turned around and started back the other direction when he did.

The officer jumped out of his car and tried ordering the man to stop once more.

At that point, the cyclist looked over his shoulder as he was pedaling away. There's no mention in the report of whether he was going to say anything but that move may be responsible for what happened next: He promptly crashed into the off duty officer who'd been trailing him and who was then unclipping his shoes from his now stopped bike, police said.

The cyclist's run from the law was over. The first officer ordered the man off the bike and he finally complied, and then was put in cuffs.

John Burkhardt, 51, of Westminster Avenue was charged with stop sign violation, failure to submit and assault and battery with a deadly weapon (the bicycle).

Charges do not indicate conviction.

Booking photo courtesy of Arlington Police, photo of police department and bike path by Jenna Fisher/Patch