As he sped down a residential street, the juvenile biker turned to look at the police car, refusing to heed the blaring sirens. Swerving to miss a fence, the biker plowed through a yard, eventually evading police altogether.

The video recently released on the Arapahoe Sheriff’s X account featured the chase scene, one that, according to officials, is increasingly becoming common around the metro Denver area.

“This is exactly why reckless e-bike riding is a serious public safety concern,” the department said on the X post. “Too often, riders treat e-bikes like toys. They are not. E-bikes can travel at high speeds and, when operated recklessly, become a danger to pedestrians, motorists and the riders themselves.”

Residents share the worry, many expressing frustration at what they described as reckless operation of e-bikes and e-motorcycles by teenagers.

“We hear you,” the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office responded to the public on X.

Officers responded to “dozens of calls” last Friday for reckless juvenile e-motorcycle driving, the X post said.

Local officials are now turning their attention to parents, warning the latter that they would face punishment if their children’s behavior persists.

“Every rider was issued a written warning, and every parent was contacted and warned. If these violations continue, parents could face criminal charges for contributing to the delinquency of a minor,” the sheriff’s office said.

In Aurora, officials enacted a law last October, saying parents who knowingly permit their children under 18 to drive or ride an off-highway vehicle in violation of city ordinances are subject to a fine of $250 or more.

Despite the new ordinance, the police said they are finding it difficult to keep e-motorcycle riders in check. Because the bikes reach such high speeds, violators are hard to catch and ticket, the police told Denver7 News.

The popularity of e-motorcycles has increased among teenagers in recent years, prompting sellers to tailor marketing to this demographic.

Meanwhile, e-moto-related injuries and collisions have spiked in the last year, according to hospital reports.

“In the Children’s Hospital Colorado Anschutz emergency department in Aurora, last year, we saw 62 e-bike and e-scooter injuries that required trauma surgeon intervention. That really speaks to the increasing frequency of the accidents and the increasing speeds kids are using on these bikes,” Dr. Maria Mandt, one of the hospital’s pediatric emergency medicine doctors, told Denver7 News last month.

One such incident occurred in Boulder County last fall, when a teenager crashed into a pickup truck after losing control of his bike.

The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office said it is responding to more “crashes and illegal riding reports in the community involving juveniles on e-bikes, electric dirt bikes and gas dirt bikes,” Fox31 Denver reported.

This issue has caught the attention of the Colorado General Assembly.

In May, legislators approved House Bill 26-1079, which requires that minors obtain written permission from their legal guardian to get a motorcycle permit.

The legislation noted that, in 2024 alone, Colorado recorded 165 motorcycle fatalities — the highest number in state history, representing a 57% increase since 2015.

So, where and how can riders operate these bikes?

High-powered e-motorcycles that can exceed 28 mph, also known as Class 3 bikes, are illegal on all Denver city bike paths and sidewalks. The rider must possess a driver’s license, registration and insurance, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation. Riders can operate these bikes on main streets and specifically designed paths, as local laws allow.

“This is about safety for the riders, drivers and everyone sharing our road,” the Douglas County Sheriff said on X. “Parents, please know what your kids are riding, where they’re riding and the laws that apply.”