E-bike rider hits woman inside Folsom Walmart

Editor's note: This story was updated with new information provided by Folsom Police. In the latest e-bike incident in Folsom, a person wasn't riding on a city street, he was cruising inside a store and hit a customer. While initial reports were that the e-bike rider was a juvenile, Folsom Police later confirmed the person was actually 18 years old. According to Folsom Police Commander Andrew Bates, the department received a call at 7:28 p.m. Monday, Oct. 20, that a male juvenile was riding an e-bike inside the Folsom Walmart and hit a woman shopper in the store, causing her to fall. "Officers responded and met with both parties. The woman didn't want to press charges," said Commander Bates. "The (person) was given a trespass warning from the store and was released to a parent." Bates added that further investigation revealed more information about the e-bike rider and limitations of the current laws. "Through their investigation, officers determined that the collision with the woman was unintentional and it did not violate the law. The woman did not want medical attention. Just like a collision on the street, criminal charges do not result," Commander Bates said. "We share the community's concern about this kind of behavior. We can only cite or arrest when we can demonstrate a violation of a specific law. When we encounter unsafe but not illegal behavior in a business, we work directly with that business to address the issue and help ensure customer safety." While this particular e-bike incident did not involve a juvenile, there have been many other concerning incidents on Folsom streets that have. In the past month, Folsom Police have attempted to take a more proactive approach with the ongoing e-bike/e-scooter problem by partnering with the Folsom-Cordova Unified School District. As The Folsom Telegraph previously reported, officers began directed enforcement at Folsom Middle School on Sept. 30, where they educated students about safety rules and laws and handed out warning citations for those who were found to be riding without helmets or licenses. This effort is reportedly continuing in other schools to reach as many youth as possible in the community.