ATV crackdown at Suffolk preserve

Forest rangers issued 15 tickets and impounded two vehicles in a weekend crackdown on illegal use of all-terrain vehicles at the Oak Brush Plains Preserve in Suffolk County, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation said Tuesday.

Charges range from unauthorized use of a motor vehicle on state land to riding without a helmet, the agency said, with maximum fines of up to $100. Impound fees can run $500, the agency said.

Over the weekend of Nov. 19 and 20, Ranger Mike Burkholder was on special ATV enforcement after receiving several complaints of people riding illegally at the 813-acre preserve that covers parts of Babylon, Huntington and Islip towns, DEC regional director Peter Scully said.

"Illegal ATV use damages valuable natural resources and important wildlife habitat," Scully said in a news release. "Those who choose to violate the law . . . should realize that DEC forest rangers are watching, and violators face significant fines and seizure of their vehicles when caught."

The news release said Burkholder issued 15 tickets to 11 riders between the ages of 7 and 39, including two whose vehicles were impounded.

"Illegal ATV operation is a continual problem, but DEC's Forest Rangers are up to the challenge," Forest Ranger Capt. Timothy Byrnes said.

It is illegal to operate an ATV on public land unless that land is designated for ATV use.

To report suspected illegal activity, the DEC asked people to call officers at (631) 444-0250, during business hours, or (877) 457-5680 or (518) 408-5250 at all other times.