Armed dirt bike rider arrested in South Beach, police say

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – Police officers arrested a 31-year-old man after a chase on Friday night in Miami Beach.

While police officers were chasing him, Justin Smith abandoned a blue dirt bike in the middle of the street and took off running, police said.

Officers followed and caught up to Smith near the intersection of 16th Street and Collins Avenue. They searched him and found he was armed with a gun.

“Our cops did a great and careful job in this apprehension so as to protect each other and the public,” Assistant Chief Paul Acosta wrote on Twitter.

Riding dirt bikes and all-terrain vehicles in public roads is illegal in Florida.

This is a developing story. Local 10 News Assignment Desk Editor Emily Hales contributed to this report.