Starting just before 10 a.m. Pacific time in California, there was a police chase of a motorcyclist through Los Angeles and Orange counties, according to a report by Fox 11 Los Angeles. The suspect was wanted for speeding.
The pursuit, which was recorded on video from a helicopter, lasted nearly an hour before the suspect was apprehended by two California Highway Patrol (CHP) motor officers.
Click HERE to watch the chase on video
The chase began in Los Alamitos, in northeastern Orange County. Video of the pursuit shows the motorcyclist riding a first-generation Kawasaki KLR650 dual-sport with faded red bodywork. He’s wearing a black helmet and black riding gear, and there’s a black tailbag mounted on the back of the bike.
With two CHP motor officers on Harley-Davidsons close behind, the suspect rides north into Los Angeles County on the 110 freeway. According to the Fox 11 News report, the SkyFox helicopter recorded speeds up to 90 mph during the freeway pursuit.
The suspect then winds his way between cars and trucks on a traffic-clogged interchange, merges onto U.S. Route 101, and then exits the freeway and takes surface streets through the neighborhood of Echo Park, near downtown Los Angeles.
For another 22 minutes, the motorcyclist takes a circuitous route through Echo Park, even riding through Elysian Park, which is home to Dodger Stadium and the City of Los Angeles police academy.
Elysian Park is full of hiking trails, and the KLR-mounted rider briefly leaves the pavement to take a short cut on one of the trails. In the video, he’s partly obscured by tree cover.
Back on Stadium Way, the suspect leaves Elysian Park and navigates a meandering path on Sunset Boulevard, Laguna Avenue, Echo Park Avenue, Glendale Boulevard, Alvarado Street, and other busy urban streets, often riding between cars and trucks at traffic lights.
Perhaps realizing his efforts at evasion were hopeless, the motorcyclist pulls into the parking lot of an apartment building and parks his KLR650 in the back. He parks near a set of stairs, puts the kickstand down, and takes off his helmet, as if he were just arriving home from work on a typical day.
A CHP Harley pulls in behind the suspect, and before the motorcyclist can dismount there are two CHP officers behind him with guns drawn. The suspect is taken to the ground and cuffed without putting up a fight.
According to Fox 11 News, no injuries were reported, which is a relief after an hourlong chase through two of the most densely populated counties in the U.S.
Pro tip: Don’t be like this guy. If you’re wanted for speeding or other infraction, pull over. You can’t outrun helicopters and radios. Making the police chase you is dangerous and will make your problems much, much worse.
The post Police Chase Motorcyclist Through 2 Counties in California first appeared on Rider Magazine.
Source: RiderMagazine.com