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Parents arrested, force used on young teen in Gilbert e-bike dragnet

By
Published  May 29, 2026 1:20 PM MST
Gilbert
FOX 10 Phoenix

The Brief

    • Gilbert police conducted a targeted traffic enforcement sweep amid an influx of complaints about dangerous e-bike activity.
    • The operation netted 10 traffic stops, 11 towed vehicles, seven citations and six arrests, which included two parents.
    • Locals documented escalating behavior online, including accounts of riders hurling items at moving cars and trapping teenagers with fireworks.

GILBERT, Ariz. - The Gilbert Police Department launched a targeted traffic enforcement operation in the Power Ranch community following a wave of resident complaints detailing dangerous, illegal and disruptive behavior involving teenagers riding e-bikes and e-motorcycles in shared neighborhood spaces.

(Courtesy Gilbert Police)

The aggressive police response on May 20 came amid escalating neighborhood safety concerns documented on social media, including a report of juvenile riders throwing objects at passing vehicles near Ranch House Parkway. Another community post detailed a harrowing encounter where a group of boys on e-bikes allegedly trapped two teenage girls in an elementary school parking lot, threatened them with lit fireworks and shattered their car's side mirror before fleeing.

By the numbers:

In a statement to FOX 10, GPD Sgt. Jordan Truckenbrod confirmed that officers targeted the community's shared areas to curb the unsafe activity. The single-day operation resulted in 10 traffic stops, 11 vehicle tows and seven citations.

Officers also made six arrests during the sweep, including two parents. The criminal charges stemming from the enforcement operation included reckless driving and permitting an unlicensed minor to operate a vehicle.

Dig deeper:

Truckenbrod said that during one stop, a 14-year-old tried to flee the scene and resisted an officer. The confrontation resulted in a physical use of force by the officer. Police said no injuries were sustained during the incident and noted that all uses of force undergo a formal review in line with department policy.

GPD officials said the agency's ongoing mission is to target unsafe e-bike and e-motorcycle operations, criminal damage and disorderly conduct, noting that these behavioral trends routinely become more prevalent during summer break.

What we don't know:

The names of the officer and the juvenile involved in the use-of-force incident have not been released.

What's next:

The department emphasized that reckless behavior will not be tolerated in the community. Moving forward, Gilbert officials said they will continue to maintain a strict, zero-tolerance approach to illegal e-bike use to ensure public safety and minimize the impact on local neighborhoods.

The Source: Information in this story was gathered from the Gilbert Police Department.

GilbertCrime and Public SafetyNews