Four-wheeler riders given citations in Irving College

The new year began in less-than-stellar fashion for several four-wheeler enthusiasts when they were cited, and one arrested, during a gathering in the Irving College area.

The lone arrest, that of Darrell Wayne Newby, 30, came for third-offense DUI and possession of marijuana. Another nine riders were cited for various offenses, mostly for driving on a public road, something Sheriff Jackie Matheny says is bringing numerous complaints.

?In the case of Irving College, chief deputy Danice Taylor lives out there and he has been getting a lot of complaints about riders tearing up fences and yards,? said Matheny, noting the citations and arrests came after Taylor warned about a dozen riders about getting on the road as they gathered on Monday near Irving College School.

When three riders took to the road moments after being warned not to by the chief deputy, more officers were called and several of the riders were rounded up and issued citations.

?You?re not supposed to get on the road, period, unless it?s like a farmer going field to field,? said Matheny, noting four-wheeler complaints are starting to account for a good deal of calls being answered by deputies. ?More and more residential areas are building up where there was nothing before and I know that it?s getting difficult for riders to find places, but we?ve got a job to do and when we get complaints, we have to follow up on them.?

Matheny said he is urging riders to stay off the roads and off posted property, given the safety concerns for people who do get on roads with other motorists and the property which is damaged, especially atop the surrounding mountains, by four-wheelers.

While deputies will be enforcing the law when it comes to four-wheelers, Matheny said he realizes most riders are law-abiding citizens.

?Probably 99 percent of four-wheeler riders obey the law,? Matheny said. ?It?s the one or two who don?t who make it bad for everybody.?