Originally Posted by
chancelucky
I could see suspending his license for 10 years and force him to ride a bicycle to get around Houston for at least 5 of those years.
I don't know Texas criminal code, but in most states it would be criminal assault "an act which causes the victim to apprehend imminent physical harm" and criminal battery "unwanted touching"
The disciplinary challenge here is two-fold. On one hand the 16-year-old needs to be punished for his actions. On the other hand, his parents bear responsibility for not raising him properly.
My solution? Require the kid to pay restitution for the replacement value of the bicycles plus the cyclists' medical bills, BUT don't reinstate his license until restitution has been paid in full. That means the kid will have to work a while to acquire the money, and his parents will be forced to drive him to his job every day. It appropriately punishes all parties for their failures.