A 33-year-old man died Sunday when he crashed his dirt bike during an encounter with a Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer.
Authorities identified the man as Michael Bernard Adams.
According to CMPD, Adams was traveling with other riders on dirt bikes and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) when an officer tried to initiate a traffic stop. Adams’ bike ran off the right side of the roadway then struck a curb and concrete pillar. The crash was reported shortly after 8 p.m. in the vicinity of West Boulevard and Interstate 77.
CMPD said Adams was not wearing a motorcycle helmet approved by the state Department of Transportation. Speed was not a factor in the crash, CMPD said.
Earlier Sunday, police had gotten multiple called about dirt bikes and ATVs being driven recklessly in Charlotte. Just before 8 p.m., officers responded to a report of a hit-and-run accident in a Bojangles’ parking lot at 300 West Boulevard involving dirt bikes and ATVs. The victim told police the riders had surrounded and struck her vehicle, causing damage. The victim also reported being physically assaulted
A short time later, a CMPD officer on a sport bike saw a group of ATVs and dirt bikes traveling on West Boulevard. Adams crashed when the officer tried to stop the group. None of the other riders stayed at the scene, according to CMPD.
CMPD’s internal affairs unit will investigate to determine whether the department’s policies and procedures were followed.
