‘Poker Ride’ Bikers Appear in Court
A handful of the 45 motorcyclists ticketed in a Hells Angels charity run through Simi Valley last month have appeared in court to deal with their cases.
Ventura Courts Commissioner Gary Barrett on Monday handled an assortment of fix-it tickets and moving violations for which police cited cyclists during a “poker ride” Sept. 7 that ended at the Simi Valley Elks Lodge.
He gave deadline extensions to three cyclists who owed fines, reduced one fine for illegal tailpipes to $10 and accepted a not-guilty plea from a Tarzana lawyer who has sued the city in federal court.
Allan Gelbard said Tuesday that he entered the not-guilty plea on Monday “on the grounds of selective enforcement. . . . I’m going to fight the ticket until I get a ruling.”
Meanwhile, Gelbard said he is pressing his federal class-action suit on behalf of other cyclists whose civil rights were allegedly violated by police.
“I think that what went down cries out for a remedy,” he said.
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