MOUNT VERNON — Residents driving side-by-sides on Knox County roads have a bit of leeway when it comes to being legal. But if they are disruptive, the sheriff’s office will take action.
Residents can visit the Knox County Sheriff’s Office at 11540 Upper Gilchrist Road to obtain vehicle licenses.
“We’ll even go to the locations and inspect the vehicles and write out that it’s deemed safe to be on the roadway and has all the lights and all that type of stuff,” Sheriff Dan Weckesser told Knox County Commissioners on Thursday.
Weckesser said some vehicles lack lights, turn signals, or horns.
“A lot of those are being used for pumping wells, farm use, that type of thing. I really don’t want our units bothering those guys that are using them for plowing snow and that type of thing. Unless they’ve been extremely modified where they’re loud and obnoxious,” he said.
“Now, if they’re tearing up things, tearing up the roadways, no driver’s license, maybe too young to be operating a piece of equipment like that, then [deputies] are stopping them.”
Weckesser said deputies stopped several drivers who were out and about during the Level 3 snow emergency.
“Some of them were using them because either the vehicle couldn’t get out or they can’t get supplies,” he said.
Equal enforcement for everyone
Weckesser said putting a slow-moving vehicle sign on the back of a four-wheeler makes them legal “to a point.”
“There are laws that they are not supposed to be on the road, but I have kind of a hard time enforcing that. Because if we’re going to go after them for being on the road, we’re going to have to go after the horse and buggies for having no driver’s licenses and no plates or lights,” he said.
“It’s just one of those things where it’s going to definitely cause a lot of issues.”
The sheriff noted some buggies are well-lit, but said, “I feel that if we start pushing the issue with the side-by-sides rule, people that are using them for legitimate reasons or even just riding them, then we’re going to have to go after the buggies being on the roadway as well.”
“Obviously we’re not going to tolerate them being out there tearing up the roads or private property. If there are intersections and whatever that they’re tearing up, doing donuts in, or whatever, we could put some cameras on the intersections, and I can reach out to the people in the neighborhood,” he said.
Work progressing on evidence locker
Weckesser said Modern Builders is doing a great job renovating a maintenance shed into a secure evidence locker and storage space.
Renovations include adding electrical service to the building located behind the sheriff’s office.
The sheriff’s office will use approximately two-thirds of the building for evidence; the remainder will be general storage.
The sheriff said workers still have interior painting, electrical work, and security measures to complete.
“It’s coming along. We’re looking forward to being able to move evidence and other equipment back there, so we have it organized a lot better,” he said.
“This building’s a lot more secure at this point.”
Regarding staffing, Weckesser said two deputy positions in the corrections (jail) division and one patrol deputy position are vacant.
“We would like to hire one female and one male for the jail,” he said. “As far as a patrol unit, either one.”
Weckesser noted that a 17-year corrections veteran will retire at the end of February.