Motorcycle Police Officer Ploughs Into Crowd at Christmas Event

A motorcycle police officer has caused havoc at a Christmas parade the weekend, after they apparently tried to pull a wheelie, but lost control of the bike sending it ploughing into the crowd of onlookers.

The incident happened in Palm Springs, California, and according to local news reports more than 10 people, including the officer, have been treated for injuries, some of which are said to be serious.

The crash occurred at the annual Holiday Parade in the city, with the motorcycle parade taking place at around 6pm local time. In footage shot at the scene, a number of police motorcycles can be seen circling the street, with lines of onlookers crowded on the pavement just a few inches away. 

Two police bikes seem to ride in tight circles in the road, when a third bike, reported to have been ridden by Ken Merenda, enters the frame from the right. The bike is moving much more quickly than the other two, and shortly after the front wheel of the machine can be seen to rise into the air, the rider seems to lose control of the bike and it can be seen slewing into the crowd of people.

Given the organised nature of the event, emergency crews were thankfully on the scene quickly and able to help those caught up in the incident. The regional news outlet, the Palm Springs Desert Sun, initially reported that 12 people were taken to the hospital with injuries ranging from light to severe, although no injuries were reported to be life-threatening. It’s also reported, and confirmed by the local police chief, that the rider of the bike suffered a ‘traumatic’ wrist injury, which should hopefully prevent them from trying any such stunts in the future.

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