TACOMA, Wash. — A motorcycle rider was arrested for fleeing from Washington State Patrol (WSP) troopers at 161 mph on I-5 on [insert date].
The high-speed incident occurred last week when the WSP aircraft, Smokey 3, observed the rider accelerating away from patrol units.
Trooper Nicholas Schureman, piloting Smokey 3, coordinated with ground troopers as they pursued the motorcycle toward an apartment complex in Federal Way. Despite multiple attempts to stop the rider, he continued until he was ultimately apprehended.
The motorcyclist was booked into King County Jail, facing a felony charge of attempting to elude a police vehicle. His motorcycle was impounded following the arrest.
According to court documents, the rider acknowledged seeing the police and noted that a friend was filming the event.
Two days later, the Smokey 3 crew encountered another issue, as a laser pointer was directed at the aircraft in Pierce County. A suspect has been arrested and charged with unlawful discharge of a laser pointer.
Authorities noted that warmer weather often leads to an uptick in high-speed incidents, which the WSP air unit helps monitor from the sky, minimizing dangerous ground pursuits.
“We can see a long distance out… sometimes it takes a while before we catch them, but we’ll eventually catch them,” Schureman stated.