Police: rival motorcycle gangs battle in Roy streets

Two rival California-based motorcycle gangs clashed Saturday in Roy following a funeral service for a gang member who had died in a motorcycle crash.

Roy Police Sgt. Curtis Gibson said a few members of the Mongols and the Vagos motorcycle clubs first clashed about 3 p.m. with a bitter exchange of words outside a funeral home. The deceased was a member of the Mongols who lived in Roy, Gibson said.

Members of the Vagos gang then moved to a parking lot of a restaurant at 5600 South and 1900 West, where they were surrounded by Mongols members, Curtis said. Gang members exchanged heated words, and there was some pushing and shoving, but officers intervened to break up the crowd. No physical altercations ensued, and rumors of shots being fire are untrue, said Curtis, who was among the officers on scene.

No one was injured or arrested, although one gang member was cited after being involved in an unrelated traffic incident.

About 100 motorcycle gang members were on hand. Curtis estimated that most were from the Mongols group.

Roy police had been tipped that members of the Vagos gang might show up for the funeral, so extra officers were on duty and prepared for any trouble, Curtis said.

Both the Mongols and Vagos are recognized by law enforcement as gangs, Curtis said.

Websites for both groups identify each as a "motorcycle club." Both appear to have been started in the late 1960s in California, according to their websites.

Curtis said the police were not sure why the two group are rivals but are pleased that no violence erupted on Saturday.

Jim Dalrymple II