In quite a bizarre story, a New York motorcyclist was arrested in Eatontown, NJ, after local police officers found his girlfriend’s five-year-old son tied to the back of his motorcycle, driving on Wyckoff road on June 1.

Frank Albanese was operating his motorcycle, riding southbound on Wyckoff Road, when police officers working a “Click It or Ticket” detail spotted a small child attached to the back of his motorcycle with what appeared to be twine.

The twine looked to be tied around the kid’s feet and waist, and he was reportedly wearing a helmet which was too big. What was worse was that the boy’s mother was driving in a pickup truck behind the motorcycle. She knew about the situation and apparently approved the behavior. Albanese strangely believed that using the twine to tie the kid to the rear seat would actually be safe.

Police approached the vehicle after it pulled inside of a Quick Chek parking lot and discovered that neither the helmet that the boy or Albanese were wearing were approved by the Department of Transportation.

Even further, an investigation showed that Albanese had outstanding warrants on charges of burglary, theft by unlawful taking and criminal mischief. In addition to those problems, Albanese was issued motor vehicle violations for driving with a suspended license, reckless driving and failure to wear a DOT-approved helmet.

As for the child, he was safely turned over to his mother, but the Division of Child Protection and Permanency was notified of the event.

Since it can’t be assumed to be common knowledge at this point, twine in the back of a motorcycle is not the same thing as a seat belt. While there is no minimum age for child passengers on bikes, consider that a 5-year-old would likely be required to ride in a safety seat if they were in a car. In addition, neither the boy nor the adult were wearing proper safety equipment on the bike.

Both parties were extremely fortunate there was no motorcycle crash.

For over 25 years, Andrew Prince, Esq. has been representing NJ motorcycle riders who have been injured in accidents. If you or someone you know deserves to be compensated for their injuries sustained in an accident, contact  Mr. Prince today for a free consultation about the case.