Here's the newspaper article /Motorcyclists complain of harassment, intimidation at weekly event at Chuy’s
KINGMAN - Local motorcyclists say they are unfairly being targeted as a whole for the actions of a few.
Attendance at the weekly Bike Night on Wednesdays at Chuy's on Stockton Hill is down at least 30 percent after members of the Arizona State Gang Task Force, also known as "Get 'Em," began surveillance at the event a couple of months ago.
Riders say the night, which began about a year ago, has had no incidents since its inception and say the harassment and intimidation goes beyond having their pictures taken with a telescopic lens in the parking lot.
Nathaniel Glentz was on his way to Bike Night Aug. 5 when he was stopped by police and arrested for not wearing contacts or prescription glasses as required. Glentz said the officer told him he was stopped for rolling through a stop sign and speeding. He finds it surprising he was not cited for either.
He said the arresting officer was with the task force.
"On the way (to the jail), he must have asked me a million questions," Glentz said. "Who I know, who I associate with. He was drilling me to get information."
Two Patriot Guard riders were ticketed by a Kingman Police officer earlier this month for blocking traffic during a funeral procession for a motorcyclist whose final wish was to have his ashes carried in a gas tank for one last ride.
Sgt. Bob Fisk with the KPD said anyone blocking traffic for any reason would be subject to being ticketed. He said police have to have a reason before they can pull someone over.
Fisk acknowledged that bikers aren't particularly a problem in Kingman, but he's worried that if police aren't on top of the situation, the problems with riders in Bullhead City could spread to Kingman. He said there was an incident at a local bar several months ago, but he characterized it as minor and said no one involved was willing to press charges.
Repeated messages left for the State Gang Task Force Office in Bullhead City were not returned.
Daniel Swaine, owner of DJ'S Biker Apparel and president of the Knights of the Patriot motorcycle club, said the harassment is driving his business away. He said the same police watching from the parking lot on Bike Night also park adjacent to his business and pull over riders as they leave. Swaine's wife has been pulled over twice.
Swaine said he knew he faced an uphill battle when he opened in a location behind another business in the fall, considered the off-season for motorcyclists. He fears that with his customers no longer feeling safe visiting his business, he will be forced to close in the next month or two. And when he closes, he said, the taxes his customers contribute to the city will go to Bullhead City, Laughlin and Lake Havasu.
Swaine acknowledged that there may be a few bad apples on motorcycles, but he said it is unfair to target everyone. He is turning his club into a non-profit corporation for future charity work. One of the club's first projects will be a cleanup of "Birdland."
Thomas Kelly, co-owner of Performance Specialists, said Bike Night is a way for his customers and the local clubs to socialize. He said decreased attendance at Bike Night as a result of the perceived harassment has driven down donations to the Boys and Girls Club as well. Bike Night serves as an informal fundraiser for the group. Last Christmas, bikers donated $3,500 worth of toys. Last month, the motorcyclists donated $1,000 to the club.
Kelly, himself a veteran, said more than 90 percent of riders who attend Bike Night are veterans. He feels that police are stepping over the line.
"There are good ways of doing it without people feeling like they're alienated from coming here," he said.
Mayor John Salem was contacted for comment and said he would have to consult the KPD before making a statement because the investigation involves multiple state agencies.
