I guess one of the worst things about being known, being "somebody", is that when you mess up, everyone knows about it and it reflects badly on any organizations you represent. Well, welcome to the world of American Flat Track (AFT) Executive, Richie Morris.
According to published reports on daytonamugshot.com, Morris was recently arrested on charges of battery on a law enforcement officer in Florida. The website, which posts arrest reports and mug shots, reported that the 64-year-old from Port Orange, Florida, was booked on January 4.
Morris's sheet reads from bad to worse, as he was charged with refusal to submit to testing, driving with a canceled/suspended/revoked license, battery on a law enforcement officer, and driving under the influence with damage to persons or property. If Morris had been a regular old motorcyclist, these charges would still have reflected poorly on our community, but the problem is he's not. Morris is a relatively well-known figure.
Morris raced professionally in the AMA Pro Road Racing series but retired after he suffered some pretty serious injuries in 2004. He is a former team owner in AMA Pro Road Racing and American Flat Track, and at present is the Director of Industry Relations for AFT—for how much longer he retains this is yet to be seen.
I mean seriously, how can the Director of Industry Relations for AFT have a canceled/suspended/revoked license? Never mind all the other charges he racked up. But, judging by the cut over Morris's left eye in his mug shot, it looks like one of the officers involved in putting him down got their own back.
This is definitely some of the most scandalous behavior by an individual in the motorcycle industry recently, but it has nothing on KTM.
KTM has been at the forefront of motorcycle industry scandals these past couple of months, as top executives seemingly knew it was €3 billion in debt and kept that fact hidden from shareholders and the public. So, I pose the question to you: What do you think is the biggest motorcycle industry scandal in recent history? Let us know in the comments.
