By Sue Pascoe
Editor
A motorcyclist who led police on a wild pursuit along Sunset Boulevard was arrested on Wednesday night, July 12, for reckless driving, motor vehicle violations and felony evading.
Los Angeles Police Department Officers Rodda and Herbert, in response to community concern over illegal motorcycle activity, were stationed at Pacific Coast Highway and Sunset around 10:30 p.m. that night.
About 50 motorcycles, from different groups, were parked at the 76 gas station. A lone motorcyclist drove up who didn’t have license plates or a brake light. According to the officers, the rider seemed to be having trouble keeping his balance and they suspected he was possibly drunk and riding an unreported stolen motorcycle.
The motorcyclist joined a group of four or five motorcycles leaving the station, heading east on Sunset. The LAPD patrol car followed the group a short distance to Castellammare, where the signal was red.
According to police, when the light changed, the motorcyclists pulled out and rapidly accelerated to around 45 miles per hour—10 miles over the speed limit. The officers turned on their lights, and the motorcyclists pulled over.
As the officers left their car, the lone motorcyclist they were concerned about took off on his bike, accelerating in an attempt to evade questioning. The police went back to their car and followed in pursuit.
According to the police, the motorcyclist possibly hit 80 mph or more on Sunset as the officers tried to catch him. But, on the windy stretches of the road, the motorcyclist pushed ahead at unsafe speeds, and often on the wrong side of the road.
Officers put out an alert that there was a pursuit. The rider was suspected of intoxication and in possession of a possible stolen bike.
Near the 405 Freeway, there had been an earlier collision and firetrucks, police cars and other emergency vehicles were still on scene. The motorcyclist knocked over cones that had been used to close off the road for the investigation.
At Sunset and Groverton, near UCLA, the rider gave up and Officers Rodda and Herbert arrested him and also recovered marijuana.
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