4 arrested for huge motorcycle freeway stunt
WEST COVINA, Calif. (AP) — Four men — including the would-be groom — have been arrested for a marriage proposal stunt in which hundreds of motorcycles blocked a Southern California freeway, authorities said.
The prospective groom and three of his friends were all booked for investigation of misdemeanor public nuisance and participating in an unlawful assembly. The 24-year-old groom, Hector Martinez of Covina, also was booked for investigation of exhibition of speed, authorities said Tuesday.
As many as 250 motorcycles stopped on the eastbound Interstate 10 in West Covina on Jan. 27 so that Martinez could propose to his girlfriend. At one point, a bike sent up a cloud of pink smoke.
The stunt, which lasted about two minutes, was captured on video and went viral on the Internet.
"They made a spectacle of it," said Sgt. Kurt Stormes of the California Highway Patrol. "It's a slap in the face of law enforcement, in general."
Martinez's bride-to-be accepted the proposal. She is not facing any charges.
Stormes said investigators were able to find the men through social media.
"They bragged about it a lot," Stormes said of the bikers.
Three members of a rock band were each sentenced to probation last year and 35 days of community service for blocking a freeway to promote their music.
The prospective groom and three of his friends were all booked for investigation of misdemeanor public nuisance and participating in an unlawful assembly. The 24-year-old groom, Hector Martinez of Covina, also was booked for investigation of exhibition of speed, authorities said Tuesday.
As many as 250 motorcycles stopped on the eastbound Interstate 10 in West Covina on Jan. 27 so that Martinez could propose to his girlfriend. At one point, a bike sent up a cloud of pink smoke.
The stunt, which lasted about two minutes, was captured on video and went viral on the Internet.
"They made a spectacle of it," said Sgt. Kurt Stormes of the California Highway Patrol. "It's a slap in the face of law enforcement, in general."
Martinez's bride-to-be accepted the proposal. She is not facing any charges.
Stormes said investigators were able to find the men through social media.
"They bragged about it a lot," Stormes said of the bikers.
Three members of a rock band were each sentenced to probation last year and 35 days of community service for blocking a freeway to promote their music.
whoever made the soundtrack should be shot.
Obviously no surprise to the bride to beÂ
Their not killing anyone, ya its annoying for traffic but for a marriage proposal it was unique i dig it! even after being arrested at least they have a good story to tell later. Im a rider and dont like all the idiots going 125 mph through traffic but somethin like this in its own way was creative congrats to them!
@T
Last year there were 2,096,000 marriages. I presume each one of them someone asked someone else for their hand.Â
At 60 seconds each (this guy took two minutes)Â that's sitting in traffic for almost hour years (3.988).Â
There is nothing unique about a proposal, thousands of people do it every day.Â
Ah, nothing says "I love you" like come bail me out of jail.
I ride and crap like this is irritating. Karma will probably slap most of these doooshnozzles in the face eventually.
I ride metric but sometimes the squids in the power ranger suits need to grow up.
Awesome! I don't usually agree with something like that and would have hated to be stuck in traffic, but power of the people was undeniable.Â
I saw the pink smoke so I thought a gay pope was elected. After all that was California.
@The Resistance aren't they all gay? or just pedifiles?
@WendyTeagarden @The Resistance what a stupid comment.Â
incredibly inconsiderate for the other people on the road going to work, running errands, going about their lives.
give them some jail time and big ole fine, teach them a lesson.
Hopefully the happy couple will not breed.
Actually it probably too late.
Ahhhh... remember the old days when the police delivered a swift beating and let you go without a record....
@Sweetpea No. Now they attack you, and then try and charge you with attacking them.. kind of like that guy in Denver.
It took him 2 minutes to propose???? He's got staying power.
@WendyTeagarden  He had to do the traditional burn-out first.
I ride motorcycles, but crap like this makes me want to drive a semi right through the middle of this stupidity to teach those morons a lesson.
Bunch of crotch rockets,no big deal,nothing to see here.
Oh wow... life on the freeways in So Calif... I remember it well...! Â Â I wonder what that pink smoke was... Â I'll bet there were some unhappy car/truck-drivers behind those motorcycles..! Â :-)
@margay1Â They make tires now that the rubber has color infused in it..you can get a handful of different colors..tires look black but when you burnout the smoke is pink, red, blue whatever you buy..spendy tire but for show its cool
@TÂ @margay1Â ~ Â Hey, thanks for the interesting info, T..! Â Â Never heard of anything like that before..! Â :-)
That was cool. Nobody is patient any more.Â
I thought it was pretty cool, maybe they were stopped a little bit too long.Â
I remember as a kid going to the Frog Jumping Jubilee in CA, the Hells Angels would roll in all at once, it was SO loud, but exciting and scary at the same time.
It's difficult to amuse authorities anymore...
No sense of humor at all!
@Owt_Raged
I know if I had been on that freeway I would not have been amused either.Â
We have a captain of Brother Speed who lives across the street from me and every weekend when the weather is good they are all rumbling in and out blocking traffic and making a nuisance of themselves.Â
South Park had it right when then made that change to the dictionary. Fits most bikers (Harley bikers in particular) to a tee.Â
@Repoman Strange, I've never thought of the rumble of a motorcycle as a nuisance. Now kids screaming all the time, yeah that bugs me. But then I know people have kids. Â
So did the evil bikers move in after you did or did you just forget to check the neighborhood?
@margay1 @Owt_Raged @RepomanÂ
The "frat house" next to the "biker house" has those.Â
I get the pleasure of them both.Â
@Owt_Raged@Repoman
The kid starts crying because of all the noise (it is a LOT of noise man).Â
And i didn't check the area. Hopefully the next person won't either I like everyone else on my street who got tired of it, I will just have to abandon my house instead of trying to sell it.Â
@Owt_Raged @Repoman ~  I don't mind the sounds of the bigger motorcycles... it's the little 2-strokers that sounds like lawn mowers on steroids that get to me... (oh yeah, and screaming kids, too)...  :-)
@Repoman @Owt_Raged I will partially agree... it fits most 'bikers' who are in a CLUB.
@Peregrine by club, do you mean a 3 patch club or are you referring to any club?