BOSTON—Boston’s scooter free-for-all finally crashed headfirst into reality Wednesday morning — with police towing a dozen mopeds, chasing down one helmet-less rider, and recovering a loaded gun that ended up skidding across Dorchester Avenue like a dropped set of car keys.

The October 1 sweep in Dorchester was part of an ongoing crackdown on what officers call a scooter epidemic — unlicensed, uninsured, underage riders buzzing through traffic and, increasingly, tied to violent street incidents.

At 10:25 AM, the patrol escalated. Officers say they spotted 32-year-old Donta Lewis riding without a helmet or plate. Instead of stopping, he allegedly tried his luck against Boston police, ditched the scooter, wrestled with officers, and sprinted down Dot Ave. In the scramble, police say, he tossed a loaded firearm into the street.

Detectives recovered the weapon while officers hauled Lewis into custody. He now faces firearm charges, resisting arrest, and a laundry list of motor vehicle violations that reads like the RMV exam from hell: no license, no registration, no insurance, reckless operation, and more.

Lewis wasn’t the only casualty of the sweep. Officers impounded 12 scooters in total, clearing the streets in what officials say is just the latest push to put the brakes on Boston’s scooter craze.

Lewis will be arraigned in Dorchester District Court. His scooter has been towed, his gun tagged as evidence, and Boston’s streets remain the stage for a two-wheeled showdown.