Woodstock police arrest two after elevator motorbike stunt

WOODSTOCK, Ga. - Woodstock police say community tips helped them identify and arrest two men accused of riding mini motorbikes through crowded shopping areas and causing major damage inside a downtown parking deck elevator.

What we know:

Investigators said Anthony Dean D’Haeseleer, 33, of Woodstock, and Carson William Rhodenwere, 27, of Canton, were taken into custody on arrest warrants and booked into the Cherokee County Jail. Both face three misdemeanor charges and two felonies, including interference with government property and second-degree criminal damage to property. They are also charged with reckless driving, reckless stunt driving and party to a crime.

The backstory:

Police said the incident began on the evening of December 9, when the men allegedly rode their mini motorbikes through the Outlet Shoppes at Atlanta pedestrian plaza, putting shoppers at risk. From there, they continued south into downtown Woodstock and entered the City Center East Parking Deck.

According to investigators, the two rode their motorbikes inside the East Elevator and were caught on security cameras doing burnouts. Police said the elevator filled with black smoke and the flooring, including ADA-accessible materials and the subfloor beneath, was damaged enough to put the elevator out of service until repairs are completed.

What they're saying:

Concerned citizens reported seeing the riders operating what police described as highly distinctive mini-motorbikes and wearing easily identifiable gear. After video and case information were released, investigators received numerous tips that helped move the case forward.

The damage to the elevator is significant.

"They wore through the ADA flooring that is for accessibility, and they wore into the subfloor of the elevator. So that could potentially be a structural issue," said Stacy Brown, city of Woodstock Communications Manager. 

"They had endangered hundreds of people. It's the holiday season, so the Outlet Shoppes at Atlanta was full of shoppers, and riding through those busy pedestrian plazas is just very dangerous," said Brown.

Brown says the two men then rode their bikes on and off the sidewalks through downtown Woodstock to the parking deck. 

"It alarmed a lot of the pedestrians along the way, and drivers. They also made quite a spectacle of themselves and made themselves noticed," said Brown. 

"We are grateful for the public’s assistance," Woodstock Police Chief Roland Castro said. "The community’s willingness to share information helped us swiftly identify and apprehend these individuals who have not only damaged public property but also endangered a number of pedestrians in two popular shopping districts."