Police are cracking down on ATV riders after vandals damaged Hamilton park in Waterbury. Tire marks were left where an ATV rode through the park Tuesday night, tearing up grass. It narrowly missed an $11,000 brick walkway which the East End Community Club put in to honor veterans.
“I just don't get it. I don't get what they're gaining from ruining other people's property, town property, city property,” said James Donohue, who was visiting Waterbury.
According to Waterbury Police, this isn't an issue isolated to Hamilton Park. In fact, during the summer months, the police department says it sees the ATVs all over the city.
“Certainly it's a high risk when they're operating on the public roadways with traffic, cause an accident, hurt themselves, hurt others. It's also a problem with the unintentional damage they do with the parks, baseball fields, golf courses that they ride on,” said Waterbury Deputy Police Chief Chris Corbett.
James Donohue was driving on Hamilton Park Road a few weeks ago when a man on an ATV started smashing up his car.
“I was pulling around to the stop sign over here, and a guy came up next to me and started hitting the side of my car, and then as I went up to the stoplight at the intersection, he came up behind me at 40 miles per hour and started ramming into the back of my car,” said Donohue.
He called police, but there wasn't much officers could do.
“We are trying to attack these or address these problems. It is difficult because it's a high risk to pursue an ATV and certainly, these people know that,” said Corbett.
Police have arrested some people by tracking the ATV drivers down at their homes after the incidents. They're still looking for the people who tore up the section of Hamilton Park.
