100 ATVs, Dirt Bikes Invade Arlington Again: Police

ARLINGTON, VA — The huge crowd of ATV and dirt bike riders wreaking havoc in the streets returned to Arlington once again this summer, police say.

Police were notified shortly before 8 p.m. on Sunday that around 100 ATVs and dirt bikes entered Arlington from D.C. over the Key Bridge in Rosslyn, according to a report from the Arlington County Police Department.

"Officers responded to the area, activated their emergency equipment and monitored the group for the safety of pedestrians and motorists," the report states. "No injuries or property damage were reported. Arlington County Police are actively investigating and working with our regional partners to identify the riders."

Police ended up arresting a Maryland teen after getting a report of someone trying to load an ATV and dirt bike into the back of a truck at around 9:36 p.m. that night in the 800 block of 18th Street S in Pentagon City, the report adds.

"During a probable cause search of the truck, officers recovered a firearm and evidence related to the distribution of marijuana," it states. "During the course of the arrest, the suspect provided false information regarding his identity."

Police charged 18-year-old Alfonso Murphy of Landover, Md. with felony possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute, identity theft, forgery, and carrying a concealed weapon. He is being held without bond.

It is illegal to ride ATVs on public roads in the D.C. area. Large groups of these riders have been spotted before in Arlington, and have become a widespread nuisance in D.C., with police having difficulty rounding them up due to their large numbers and ease of escape. Earlier this summer, a group of riders got into a confrontation with police in National Harbor, Md., police say. In addition to obstructing traffic, police say riders sometimes risk injuries to pedestrians and cause destruction of property.