SEIZED!
SKATEBOARDER'S WINGS CLIPPED BY POLICE

Downtown Lincolnton traffic enforcement officer displays the third of three skateboards confiscated in a week's time. Armondo Precido, 17, didn't want to give up his board without a fight.

By Jon Mayhew

LINCOLNTON -- It's against the law to ride a skateboard or bicycle in downtown Lincolnton. And a teenager sits in the Harven A. Crouse Detention Center after assaulting a law enforcement officer and leading authorities on a chase Thursday afternoon.

Downtown traffic officer Kameron Keener first encountered 17-year-old Armondo Precido on his skateboard in front of Court Street Grille around 3:30pm.

"I told him he couldn't ride his skateboard and I was reaching out to take it from him," said Keener.

That's when things got ugly fast.

The teen moved by Keener, striking the officer. Then, the chase was on for Precido and Keener.

Precido (pictured above, to the left), then took off running into traffic on North Asken Street. The suspect was struck by a vehicle at the intersection of Aspen and Pine Streets.

Meantime, a motorist witnessing the chase tried to block the suspect in, but Percido was able to run around the vehicle and made a left turn onto Battleground Avenue.

"He then got onto his board and flew downhill," said Keener. "I temporarily lost sight of the suspect."

Keener wasn't giving up, however, as the motorist offered to give Keener a ride to the Lincolnton High School area to see if anyone knew Precido.

Before Keener could get to the school, he saw detective Chuck McGinley chasing the suspect on foot on Battleground Avenue, heading towards the high school.

Also chasing the suspect on foot was detective Dennis Harris.

Harris first saw the suspect on McGinnis Street and chased the suspect for about two or three blocks.

"I hollered for him to stop," said Harris, adding Keener gave a similar command earlier in the chase.

Harris tried to deploy his taser. However, due to the distance between himself and the suspect, the taser was ineffective.

While two detectives were chasing Precido on foot, Sgt. Matt Painter was heading towards the suspect in a vehicle.

The chase ended after Precido jumped off his skateboard and fell onto a grassy area.

"The suspect went one way and the skateboard went under Painter's vehicle," said Harris.

Authorities detected an odor of marijauna on the suspect and believed he was running from the authorities because of drugs.

Precido wasn't cooperating once arrested, only giving officers his name and original birthplace of Los Angeles.

He was taken to the Harven A. Crouse Detention Center under a $15,000 secured bond with a court date set for Feb. 4, 2009.

"He'll sit in jail until we get a photo identification and more information on the suspect," said Keener.

Earlier Thursday, Keener saw another skateboarder riding in front of Lincolnton City Hall. While Keener confiscated the rider's skateboard without incident, Nathan Houser, 16, North Government Street, was cited for causing a disturbance.

"He was cited for disorderly conduct because he startred cursing while walking away," said Keener.

The incident happened just before 1pm.