A 41-year-old man in British Columbia allegedly fled from police on an electric dirt bike after telling an officer, “You’re not taking my bike.” The encounter ended with his arrest, a 90-day driving prohibition and the bike being impounded, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

The incident occurred on the evening of October 8 near Lougheed Highway and the Cedar Valley Connector. Police had attempted to stop the rider while he was operating an electric dirt bike.

Electric dirt bike was not permitted on the road

Although many e-bikes are legal in Canada, the RCMP noted that electric dirt bikes are treated differently. The type involved in this incident is prohibited from roads, sidewalks and bike lanes, giving officers grounds to stop the rider.

After making the statement about keeping his bike, the man allegedly accelerated away. Officers caught up with him shortly afterward and arrested him on suspicion of fleeing.

Rider allegedly refused a breath sample

The RCMP also reported that the man showed signs of alcohol impairment and refused to provide a breath sample at the scene. The account is an allegation, and the source did not identify the full list of charges that may result from the incident.

According to police, the refusal allowed officers to impose a 90-day driving prohibition. It also gave them the authority to impound the electric dirt bike, although the length of the impoundment was not specified.

Additional violations may also be possible because the bike was allegedly being used where it was not permitted. The source notes that driving without a license in the area can result in a CA$276 fine, while driving without insurance can carry a CA$598 penalty. It was not confirmed whether those specific violations were charged in this case.

The attempted escape therefore allegedly ended with the rider losing access to the bike as well as his driving privileges, rather than avoiding the traffic stop.