Springfield cops put the brakes on a wild ride this past weekend, nabbing a 25-year-old man and seizing a stolen dirt bike as part of a crackdown on illegal street racing. The Springfield Police Department, responding to ongoing gripes about the reckless driving antics plaguing the streets, caught Kevin Colon-Soto on Saturday, April 27, as he weaved a path of danger through traffic while performing stunts, according to a Springfield Police Department statement.

The detail, aimed squarely at putting a stop to the illegal operation of Off-Highway Vehicles (OHVs) which are tearing, often helmetless and unlicensed, down the roads of Springfield, had officers on high alert throughout the city. While performing what witnesses might describe as a public menace, Colon-Soto stopped at a local convenience store on Walnut Street, where patrolling officers, seizing the moment, detained him upon his exit.

After confirming that Colon-Soto had no license and discovering the dirt bike was hot, reported stolen out of Connecticut, the police slapped the cuffs on him. A further check dug up a past that was far from clean, revealing a 2021 arrest in Springfield for illegal firearms possession, enriching the rap sheet of the young stunt rider. The charges now stacking against Colon-Soto include unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, receiving a stolen motor vehicle, negligent/reckless operation, operating an OHV on a public way, and operating an OHV without a helmet.

Springfield police are familiar with the risks these reckless riders bring, not only to themselves but also to residents going about their daily routines. With the police tackling the problem directly, Saturday's incident is a clear reminder that road freedom comes with rules. As streets resemble action movie scenes more and more, the Springfield PD is committed to ensuring public safety isn't compromised by illegal thrills.