EAST FINLEY TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A judge Tuesday dropped the most serious charge against a father who is facing charges for riding a dirt bike that crashed while his young son was on it with him.
Chris Blackwell, Kyle Hilderbrand’s defense attorney, said Hilderbrand is a good dad and was out doing fun things with his son when the accident happened. He isn’t denying that his was riding the dirt bike with his son.
Hilderbrand’s father told a judge Tuesday that Hilderbrand grew up on back roads, and that he was only spending time with his son like he did with his dad.
"It's an unfortunate situation. We have all taken risks with our children, ridden them on a motorcycle," said Blackwell.
Hilderbrand's son, Kyler Hilderbrand, was flow to Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh in August after he was thrown from the dirt bike on Quaker Ridge near Fairview Cemetery in East Finley Township.
Blackwell argued that the felony charge of receiving stolen property that Hilderbrand was facing should be dropped and the judge agreed.
“The motorcycle had been stolen. He had purchased it off of Craigslist. It turns out he didn’t know it was stolen,” said Blackwell.
Hilderbrand still faces charges for endangering the welfare of a child.
State police argued that the boy was not wearing the proper headgear for a dirt bike.
“He was in the state game lands. It was a dry road, gravel road. The child did have a helmet on with full face protection. It’s a shame he slipped in gravel and the boy was hurt.
Since this case began, the state of Pennsylvania now has a law preventing children on any age from getting on a motorcycle with an adult.
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WPXI
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