first pursuit of 2010
 

Well it didn't take as long as I'd hoped. Only about 45 degrees today but the sun was shining, gorgeous afternoon! The sportbike was approaching me and clocked at 77 in a 55. I hit the overheads and flipped on him. He looked back for a second as he ran the stop sign and headed for I94. Traffic was pretty heavy and as I topped out in excess of 110, the bike was still way ahead of me. I shut it down after less than a mile and radioed the description to dispatch. Within a few seconds of acknowledging my traffic, dispatch advised the rider went down at the next exit. I found him pushing the bike back towards the ramp. He lowsided it on a 25 mph exit ramp. He wasn't seriously hurt, but I did take him to the hospital to be checked out prior to going to jail.

If he told me once, he told me a hundred times how sorry he was for running and what a stupid thing it was. The guy was close to tears when I asked him if he had children and he admitted he had twins and an 8 year old.

Speeding tickets are cheap, life is not! Use yer fricken brain! I for one have a history of letting riders off with a warning just because they stop for me! I even tell them that's why they got a break. I hope it encourages them not to flee.

I'm not looking for a medal, or even thanks. Just don't want to work any more fatals before retirement.

Thanks

Seems like almost every crotch rocket I turn on will run. I'll chase 'em for a short while just to see if the rider has skills and if I might have a snowballs chance of catching him, but I usually terminate within a mile. Not worth it. Idiots.

I don't bother chasing bikes for that reason. Too much liability

I chase for about a half mile, but if they have skills and a fast bike, i know i dont have a chance, but it sure is fun. seventeen years and i still love it!

Flhru, First chase on a bike. you must work a nice small country department. we have morons running several times a week in SD. i can't wait to retire and get away from all these morons. small country town for me. somewhere where next door is a half mile down the road... thats what im looking for

Guess I'm lucky I've never had one run...of course, I don't really pull bikes unless they're acting stupid

Appreciate your service w/keeping our roadways safe & enforcing the law on some of these "brainless" riders out there. Maybe it's just me, but I'm seeing more & more speeders, red-light runners, driving texters, etc. & don't understand what these people are thinking.

Like I was taught - "Driving's a Priviledge" & can be taken away if you don't adhere to the law(s). Thanks again & keep catching these "chuckle-heads" & maybe the judge's gavel will wake them up!:icon_smash:

Just the first of 2010. Gotta remember we still have quite a bit of snow on the ground here. Not like sunny SoCal! Us suckers put our bikes away for the winter. Suffering from PMS all winter (parked motorcycle syndrome)

Its refreshing to know that you had more sense than the guy on the bike. I've been in law enforcement in various roles for over 20 years and I can't count the times the officers I've worked with didn't know when to quit. You did a wise thing today. I just wish other officers would learn from your example. I'm sure you have (as well as other LEOS on the site) seen too many accidents as a result of a pursuit. There is a fine line between stopping the vehicle and allowing them to "escape". Public safety must always be our first priority. I appreciate your good judgment today. Hopefully the guy will learn something from his experience. At least he's got the opportunity, some haven't been so lucky. Good job!

I could always count on one running the first nice weekend after the winter. I only caught one after his bike wobbled on him taking the exit ramp to the beltway. He was very sorry and said he was active duty military from Ft. Meade. He got a ticket for the speeding but let him slide on the "flee to elude" because that was a mandatory arrest. I am pretty sure he had to change his shorts after having his bike wobble on him at highway speed. It was always fun but really didn't anyone getting hurt.