Sandy MaloneNew York, NY – The New York Police Department (NYPD) has launched an internal review after a video was posted to social media of an officer crashing a dirt bike on a Harlem street (video below).
The video was taken on Sunday afternoon at the intersection of 135th Street and Lexington Avenue after officers responded to that area for reports of as many as 50 people riding motorcycles, dirt bikes, and ATVs through the city streets, WCBS reported.
Police saw a dirt bike driving recklessly and tried to stop it. The rider jumped off, ditched his bike, and jumped on the back of another bike to make his getaway.
A police source told the New York Post that the officer who was seen on the bike was taking it back to the 32nd Precinct to be properly vouchered.
The video showed the officer straddling the bike and revving its engine, before he popped what looked like an unintentional wheelie.
Then he went tearing across a busy intersection, blowing right through a red light and forcing other drivers to slam on their brakes.
Just as he crossed the intersection, the video showed the officer lost all control of the dirt bike and was tossed off of it one direction while the bike careened toward cars that were stopped at a stoplight.
The bike skidded to a stop between two cars, and the officer got up fairly quickly from the pavement.
Several other officers ran after him and all had a look of disbelief on their faces.
The officer was injured in the wreck and was treated for minor injuries at a local hospital, the New York Post reported.
The incident is now under internal review by NYPD, WCBS reported.
Police are still looking for the original rider of the dirt bike.
Watch the incident unfold in the video below: