SEATTLE —
A Washington State Patrol trooper chasing a group of speeding motorcyclists on Interstate 5 rolled his car and ended up injured in a ditch Tuesday evening as two bikers returned to taunt him, a fellow trooper said.
Trooper Brian Salyer, 46, of Spanaway, was pursuing a group of at least nine members of a south King County motorcycle group traveling northbound at "well over 100 mph," Trooper Cliff Pratt said. As Salyer tried to close in on the fastest biker, he told Pratt that two other bikers cut him off.
"Had he not slowed down and slammed on the brakes, he would have hit them," Pratt said. "At his speed that made him lose control."
Salyer managed to call for help on his cell phone. Then as he sat injured, bleeding and trapped in his car just south of Seattle, he looked up to see several of the bikers had returned, with two in particular laughing and taunting him, Pratt said.
They all took off when they heard sirens in the distance, Pratt said.
Salyer, a 22-year State Patrol veteran, was treated for a concussion, bruises and cuts at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.
Troopers "have good descriptions on the group and some specific riders," Pratt said, and are searching for the bikers.
Pratt said the State Patrol is concerned not only by the motorcyclists' speed "with no regard for the safety of anybody else" but also by their failure to render assistance to an obviously injured crash victim.
:rollpicard:
And in other news, looks like there was a short bike chase up here on Randall last night..
http://www.nwherald.com/articles/2010/08/11/82493767/index.xml
A Crystal Lake man with alcohol and cocaine in his system was listed in fair condition today after leading a police officer on a chase and crashing his motorcycle late Tuesday, officials said.
Mark A. Schlarb, 34, was airlifted to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville.
According to a news release, at 11:22 p.m. a Crystal Lake police officer was conducting radar enforcement along Rakow Road at Virginia Road when two people riding motorcycles were observed traveling west at a high rate of speed, passing the officer in the opposite direction.
The radar registered 80 mph in a 45 mph zone. The officer then turned west on Rakow Road, activated his overhead lights and siren, and attempted to perform a traffic stop, police said.
The motorcyclists accelerated as they continued west on Rakow Road, passing vehicles traveling in the same direction in a no passing zone, police said. The officer continued following them as they merged onto Randall Road and then turned onto Ackman Road.
About four-tenths of a mile behind the motorcyclists as they continued to accelerate while west on Ackman Road, the officer lost sight of the motorcylist who was in the lead, but observed the second motorcyclist turn north onto Amberwood Drive.
The officer turned onto Amberwood Drive from Ackman Road and lost sight of the second motorcyclist – identified as Schlarb – but continued north and saw him and his vehicle lying in the roadway.
The officer requested rescue and administered aid. Crystal Lake Fire Department paramedics transported Schlarb to Centegra Hospital - Woodstock. He was then flown to Advocate Condell Medical Center.
The investigation continues in regard to the initial traffic violations and subsequent crash. Because an officer was involved in the pursuit prior the crash, Crystal Lake police requested the assistance of the McHenry County Sheriff's Office. Charges are pending against Schlarb due to the ongoing investigation and his medical condition.
The other motorcyclist has been identified, but police are withholding his identification due to the ongoing investigation.
at the coked up crashing biker....that's right down the street from my friends house
too many people can get hurt in a situation like this.
