California teen e-biker baiting police to chase tracked by drone, arrested

Police in Palm Springs deployed a drone to track and assist in the arrest of a teen e-bike rider who had reportedly been trying to bait officers into a high-speed chase.

In footage released on social media Wednesday by the Palm Springs Police Department, the teen can be seen doing wheelies and donuts while stopped at a traffic light. He is also seen performing similar stunts in an intersection.

“Instead of giving the suspect the pursuit he seemed to be looking for, officers used drone technology and coordinated tactics to safely monitor his movements into Cathedral City,” police said in an Instagram post.

Video shows the rider traveling through grass at a nearby park before getting off the e-bike in the shade of a pavilion.

Police quickly moved into the park and took the teen into custody. Video appears to show a physical struggle before he was eventually placed into a patrol vehicle.

“While seated in a PSPD patrol vehicle, the suspect apparently wasn’t thrilled with the accommodations and shattered a window, adding felony vandalism to his list of charges,” police said.

The teen, who has not been identified, was booked on suspicion of reckless driving, resisting arrest and felony vandalism.

E-bikes and e-motorcycles have been a growing concern for law enforcement across Southern California.

Data released in Riverside County shows e-bike crashes surged from 224 in 2023 to 494 in 2024, then nearly doubled again to 958 in 2025, according to county officials, who added that at least 416 incidents have already been reported this year.

Cities in Orange County have enacted new laws that include stricter penalties for violations.

On June 7, shoppers at an Orange County Walmart were left shaken after a group of teens was captured on video riding electric bikes through the store, narrowly missing customers and creating a dangerous scene.

Video obtained by KTLA shows several riders weaving through aisles at a Foothill Ranch store while customers scrambled to get out of the way.

In April, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office announced felony charges against the mother of a 14-year-old boy accused of fatally striking an 81-year-old man while riding an e-bike in Lake Forest. Prosecutors allege the mother knew her son had repeatedly engaged in reckless riding behavior before the crash.