Fall River City Council continues not to pass city ordinances concerning off-road mayhem

There’s no shortage of incidents surrounding off-road vehicles causing a menace in the city. Last year, an officer was struck and dragged by an ATV on Robeson Street. Just last week, while attempting to arrest an operator of an off-road vehicle, an officer was hit and taken to the hospital.

Even city councilor Linda Pereira has shared her experience with the groups while driving through the city, telling the Herald News:

“I was parked at a light on Eastern Avenue and Bedford. I had four guys on motorbikes on one side and four more on the other side. The light turned green and they came on either side of the car crossed over in front of me before they rode up Eastern Avenue. If I wasn’t paying attention when the light changed and I just drove, I could have hit somebody,”

But Pereira and other members of the city council have been unable to secure any official city ordinances surrounding the off-road vehicles and their impact on the city.

According to city clerk Alison Bouchard, there are two resolutions that are currently pending in subcommittees of the city council.

Back in 2021, a resolution requested that the Committee on Public Safety meet with the Chief of Police to develop a plan to establish and address safety measures. According to former city councilman Christopher Peckham, who was the chair of the Public Safety Committee at the time, the meeting was scheduled to take place in executive session but he did not have a quorum and the meeting was cancelled.

Earlier this year, a second resolution was established by the council, requesting that the Committee on Public Safety meet with Corporation Counsel to establish an ordinance.

According to Bouchard, both matters remain pending in those respective committees.