By Jamie Nash / The Police News

August 17, 2009

EAST MONTGOMERY COUNTY- Members of the Pct. 4 Constable's office used slightly different vehicles to patrol for lawbreakers in the Riverwalk subdivision off of FM 1314 in Porter on Sunday.

Lt. Mark Seals and Sgt. Buck Clendennen took their agency's ATV's to the San Jacinto River area of the subdivision. Eight vehicles were towed for violations, including five 4-wheel ATV's, two pickup trucks and 1 Jeep. The Pct. 4 ATV's are marked and have built-in red and blue lights and Seals and Clendennen patrol in uniform, so there is no confusion on the part of violators regarding their legitimacy.

Seals said the pickups, the Jeep and three of the 4-wheelers were "mudding" or riding on the riverbanks. As tow trucks loaded those vehicles, two additional 4-wheelers drove up to the scene on the roadway, which is also illegal.

Among those on 4-wheelers were a 16-year-old, a 14-year-old, and a 13-year-old driver with an 11-year-old rider. Seals said the teens were neighborhood residents and were riding the ATV's that were towed for being on the street. The teens were riding with no helmets and had not had a rider safety course, he said. Only one other violator, an adult, was a Montgomery County resident. The rest were from Harris County.

Seals said the river area is open to the public and they are welcome to park and walk down the banks, but no motorized vehicles are allowed.

The Pct. 4 ATV's have proven to be an effective tool, Seals said, since they allow access to areas impossible for patrol vehicles to navigate. Seals and Clendennen have been actively patrolling using the 4-wheelers sporadically for the past few weeks and plan to continue.