CHARLESTON, SC NEWS - LIVE 5 WCSC Breaking News, Weather, SportsCops confiscate entrepreneur's electric skate board

Cops confiscate entrepreneur's electric skate board

By Bob Behanian  bio | email

CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) - "I just felt like I was an average guy in Charleston enjoying a great day.  All of sudden my board is taken from me, I get a ticket and have no ride," said Daniel Russell-Einhorn.

For nine months Russell-Einhorn has been riding his electronic skateboard downtown and he's never had a problem.  On Monday, he was pulled over on St. Philip Street.

"Police officer on a bicycle approached me and gave a ticket for skate boarding in downtown Charleston.  And he confiscated my skateboard," he said.

Russell-Einhorn had been stopped by police before but they didn't want to give him a ticket. In fact, they were not interested in punishing him at all. "Two police officers asked me where they could buy them.  They wanted to ride them on a bicycle trail," he said.

But he wasn't on a trail; he was riding on the street.  According to Charleston City code you can't ride a skateboard on the street unless it's a designated skating area. Russell-Einhorn argues these laws don't take into affect the difference of an electronic board.

"You're not going to be doing any tricks on these.  They weigh over 50 pounds.  They have large rubber tires with inner tubes.  You won't be damaging any pavement," he said.

The difference between his board and a regular skateboard is the acceleration and brake both work with a hand trigger. "It operates off a lead-acid batteries, same as a car.  It's 36 volts.  You charge it in the wall just like you would any other appliance," said Russell-Einhorn.

On Sept. 21, Russell-Einhorn will face a judge and argue his case.  He hopes to stop the threat of having his skateboard confiscated. "I have never had a grief from anybody.  People have a had a warm acceptance to the electric skateboard," he said.

Live 5 News asked Charleston police if there were different laws for motorized skateboards; they referred us to the city laws. Charleston city also prohibits the use of coasters or toy vehicles on roadways.

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