• Biker dressed as Easter Bunny pulled over by California officers

    California Highway Patrol

    A motorcycle rider in an Easter Bunny costume was pulled over by a California Highway Patrol officer on Saturday.

    By Daniel Arkin, Staff Writer, NBC News

    Move over, Mad Max. Step aside, Easy Rider. The Easter Bunny rules the road.


    A motorcyclist wearing a full Easter Bunny costume was pulled over by the California Highway Patrol early Saturday after officers on routine patrol spotted the costumed man traveling down Interstate 8 without a helmet, NBCLosAngeles.com reported.

    CHP Officer Adam Griffiths reportedly radioed: “I’m stopping the Easter Bunny.”

    The motorist – who was cruising in a shiny red bike with an old-fashioned sidecar – told Griffiths that he was on his way to an Easter charity event at which he was required to wear a bunny costume, including white gloves and floppy feet.

    Griffiths' partner snapped a photo of the repentant rabbit, which has since circulated widely on social media networks.

    Grifiths told the man that the bunny head obstructed his view and put other motorists in danger, according to local reports. But Griffiths ultimately let him off with a verbal warning instead of a citation.

    “If you ride a motorcycle, you have to be aware of your total surroundings,” CHP spokesman Brian Pennings told the Los Angeles Times.

  • Road-rage victim arrested, CHP confirms

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    By Olsen Ebright, Vikki Vargas, NBCLosAngeles.com

    LOS ANGELES -- Jerry Patterson, the Palmdale man who was thrown to the ground and kicked in the head during a freeway fight recently captured on video, has been arrested on an outstanding warrant stemming from an earlier roadside confrontation, according to the California Highway Patrol.

    The 49-year-old man failed to appear in court for a June 6 arraignment.

    His bond was forfeited and Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Chet L. Taylor issued a bench warrant for $50,000.

    Patterson was arrested Thursday morning in Altadena and was scheduled to be booked at the Crescenta Valley Sheriff's Station, according to the CHP.

    CHP confirmed Patterson was involved both in a May 25 confrontation and the highly publicized June 12 road-rage incident on the side of the 5 Freeway at Seventh Street in Los Angeles.

    Patterson has not responded to NBC4's request for comment, but his sister -- in a phone interview -- told NBC4 that her brother is "a very good guy. We support him 300 percent."

    "These two incidents are isolated," she said. "He's a good guy. He helps dogs and senior citizens. We don't know what is happening. Maybe he's just having a bad month. He's a good man."

    Read the original story on NBCLosAngeles.com

    Video published recently online showed Patterson stopped along the southbound 5 Freeway, shouting with three other men on June 12. The altercation turned violent, and two of the men beat Patterson until he was motionless on the ground.

    In an interview Wednesday, Patterson acknowledged he accidentally cut off the other vehicle, eventually leading to the road-rage confrontation. He also told NBC4 he suffered a concussion as a result of the incident, which garnered mainstream attention following multiple news reports.

    Suspects Edras Ramirez, 27, and David Mendez, 21, later turned themselves in and are scheduled for arraignment on Friday.

    Patterson's arrest on Thursday stems from an outstanding warrant from an earlier incident, according to the CHP.

    Following a hit-and-run collision May 25 at Corona Avenue and the Toledo in Long Beach, witness James Poole said he followed Patterson to the 200 block of La Verne.

    Patterson pulled over and the two began arguing, said Poole of Belmont Shore.

    "I wouldn't let him get back in his car. First I demanded his driver license number and a lot of people started seeing us yelling and screaming at each other. I was looking at his driver license when he hit me," Poole said.

    Poole said he walked away from the altercation with two black eyes.

    "The three things I do recall he said during our discussion was the fact that he saved millions of Americans' live, he's on a mission with the FBI, and to let him go," Poole said.

    Patterson was booked on suspicion of DUI, hit and run and battery, according to the full police report.

    Poole told NBC4 he went to court on June 5 expecting to see Patterson, but he didn't show, which led to a warrant for failing to appear in court.

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