Fitchburg Police Captain Assaulted by Dirt Bike Rider at Gas Station
FITCHBURG, Mass. – A Fitchburg police captain was assaulted Friday morning by a dirt bike rider at a Gulf gas station, escalating tensions surrounding a growing problem of reckless ATV and dirt bike activity in the city. The incident led to the arrest of two suspects.
Fitchburg Captain Matthew LeMay attempted to speak with two dirt bike riders on Main Street after observing them operating the vehicles in a concerning manner. The pair pulled into a gas station to refuel, and as Captain LeMay approached them, he was struck in the head with an object. Authorities are investigating whether the object was a gas pump handle. Captain LeMay immediately called for assistance, reporting he had been struck, according to scanner audio.
Witness Kathy Marean described the scene, saying, “I heard yelling profanities from a woman, and then I noticed a lot of commotion around one of the cruisers over there. The next thing I knew, police and ambulances came from everywhere and such a fast response. An officer down got struck.” Mary Jean, owner of Fuzzy’s Cafe nearby, added, “As I looked over, I saw the fireman jumping over the wall with the frist aid kit and diving down to take care of this policeman laying on the ground.”
The two riders initially fled the scene, but one suspect, a 20-year-old Fitchburg resident, was quickly apprehended and faces potential charges of assault and battery on an officer and resisting arrest. hours later, the second suspect was also arrested and is expected to face minor traffic infractions. According to Jean, the suspects separated upon fleeing, “One went that way, and one went that way. They went in two opposite directions.”
Residents and police alike have expressed increasing concern over the prevalence of reckless ATV and dirt bike riding. “It’s horrible. They will just run you off of the road by doing wheelies and just pulling out in front of you. They don’t care,” said Marean. Another resident recounted a recent near-miss, stating, “I was coming from a wake the other night, and they were on the road pulling wheelies. I didn’t even see them because you can’t see the light until they put the bike down.It’s dangerous. Everyone complains about them.”
