A video that went viral in December started with ateenager soaring over a roadway in a daring dirt bike stunt — and ended with him in handcuffs, facing a charge in a case his family said is just "kids being kids."
In the video, Samuel Campbell, 18, is seen riding his pink dirt bike up a grassy hill beside a road, launching off the hill like a ramp, soaring over two lanes separated by a median and landing on the other side of the road in the grass.
Campbell was arraigned in court in October for the charge after performing the trick in the Morrison Ranch neighborhood of Gilbert, Arizona, in the Phoenix metro area. Gilbert Police Department spokesperson Brenda Carrasco confirmed he was charged with reckless driving.
The video, posted by the"EndlessAdrenaline" Instagram account,garnered more than 1.9 million likes. The clip ended with Campbell in a squad car and his pink dirt bike on the back of a tow truck.
The incident, near Bloomfield Parkway and Recker Road, happened in October but gained widespread attention later in the year.
"The Gilbert Police Department stresses the dangers posed by unsafe riding, especially in residential neighborhoods and on our roadways," Carrasco said.
Campbell's next pre-trial conference is set for Jan. 7, according to Gilbert Municipal Court records.
'Kids being kids'
Campbell's father, Nick Campbell, told the Arizona Republic, part of the USA TODAY Network, he believes Gilbert police are making an example out of his son, who he described as a low-key young man who doesn't chase the limelight.
Samuel Campbell did not post the viral video himself, according to his father, who manages his Instagram account. He asked the page that posted it to take it down.
Nick Campbell has been surprised by the scrutiny and attention his son has faced, he said in a telephone interview.
"Back in my day, we did this kind of stuff all the time, and it was just kids being kids. He was out, you know, being a kid. He was arrested. He was booked. He had to spend the night in jail, and they actually put him in leg irons too," Nick Campbell said. "It seems very, very over the top."
Samuel Campbell sold his Japanese Kei truck to cover his legal fees, his father said. Police impounded his dirt bike, and it's being held as evidence, so he missed two recent dirt bike races, he added.
"He's missed races, he's had to sell his vehicles. I mean, the consequences are numerous, and our feeling right now is this is just a lot more than what this should be," Nick Campbell said.
Samuel Campbell started riding dirt bikes at age 3 and has been racing competitively for 11 years. He just started college, his father said.
"He turned 18 at the end of May, but his age ends in 'teen.' He's a kid," Nick Campbell said.
Nick Campbell said viewers have responded well to the video, calling the response "ridiculously awesome." Donors rushed to Samuel Campbell's aid this week with a "Help Sam Campbell Retrieve His Impounded Bike"fundraiser on GoFundMe, which has raised $4,695 as of Dec. 11, close to the fundraiser's $5,000 goal.
Gilbert police said it was not their goal to make an example of anyone.
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"The Gilbert Police Department takes community safety seriously. We regularly use our social media channels to educate riders and we enforce laws against dangerous riding behavior on motorized devices. In fact, just two days before this arrest, we shared safety messaging about a nearly identical incident involving another rider. Our goal is not to make an example of anyone, but to prevent injuries and keep our community safe," Carrasco said.
In a post on Oct. 27, the Gilbert Police Department shared clips from a social media video that showed someone riding a black bike and launching it over a road the department said was 125 feet across.
"This wasn't just a 'cool trick' – it was a dangerous and illegal act that could have ended in tragedy. These kinds of stunts put lives at risk, including the rider, drivers on the road, and innocent bystanders," the postsaid.
Pranks and stunts can be dangerous, authorities warn
The viral video and arrest come as authorities around the country are warning parents and teens aboutpranks and stunts, often fueled by social media trends, that can quickly turn dangerous and come with serious consequences.
Earlier this year, an 11-year-old boy in Houston was shot and killed while playing the seemingly harmless prank of ding-dong-ditch. The suspected shooter was charged with murder. The prank was innocent in that case, police said, but authorities across the United States have warned of a social media trend encouraging young people to play the prank with a more aggressive twist – banging and kicking on doors and making homeowners fear a burglary – can be dangerous.
More:Ring a doorbell, get shot. Why is ding-dong-ditch so dangerous?
While taking part in another social media trend,two teens were killed in October while "subway surfing,"which involves climbing on top of moving train cars, in New York.
In 2023, ateen was left dangling off a California bridge and had to be rescuedafter attempting to film a stunt that involved swinging from the bridge.
Stephanie Murray covers national politics and the Trump administration for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. Reach her via email at stephanie.murray@gannett.com and on social media @stephanie_murr.
Reporter Maritza Dominguez covers Mesa, Gilbert and Queen Creek and can be reached atmaritza.dominguez@arizonarepublic.comor 480-271-0646. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter:@maritzacdom.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic:Teen's viral dirt bike stunt ends in arrest
