A stop for operating an unlicensed vehicle ended with a motorcycle crashing into a parked car while an officer hung on, an officer being assaulted and a man being charged with two felonies.
On July 14, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged a 19-year-old Covington man with third-degree assault and attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle. Charging documents state that these charges stem from the man allegedly fleeing on an unlicensed motorcycle from an officer after an officer attempted to stop him, but the man then dragged the officer with him on the motorcycle when an arrest was attempted and after crashing the bike, punched the officer.
According to documents, this occurred at about 6:36 a.m., July 10, when an officer spotted the suspect riding a motorcycle north on 108th Ave. SE., through the intersection of SE. Petrovitsky Road, and noticed that the vehicle had no license plate. Documents state that the officer then began to follow the motorcycle with no lights or sirens on, but the motorcycle sped away.
Documents state that the officer then found the suspect in the 1700 block of Shattuck Ave. South, hiding in the bushes with the motorcycle. According to documents, the officer then turned on his emergency lights, siren and used his vehicle’s public address system to tell the suspect to stop.
According to documents, the suspect then sped away, but lost control of the motorcycle on 401 South 15th St. and crashed. The officer then moved toward the suspect to detain him, but the suspect stood up and grabbed the motorcycle, documents state.
According to documents, the officer then grabbed the suspect to stop him from fleeing, but the suspect accelerated, dragging him and the officer toward a parked car. Documents state that they then crashed into a parked car, and the officer at that point was injured, but pinned the man to the ground while another officer handcuffed him. Additionally, documents state that during the arrest, the suspect was punching the officer with both of his fists.
Documents state that the officer was transported to the hospital, and he thought he had a concussion, a broken right elbow and had pain in his hip that prevented him from walking. The officer was discharged later that day, but had to be driven home by another officer, documents state.
According to documents, the suspect spoke with officers after he waived his Miranda Rights and said that he was riding his dad’s motorcycle to work in South Seattle, and he was stressed because he was running late to a company-wide meeting with the CEO. Documents state that the suspect then admitted that he ran from the officer because he was already taking off, but acknowledged it was a bad idea.
Documents state that he admitted to crashing with the officer, but denied punching him.
“Running on foot would be a misdemeanor charge of obstructing a law enforcement officer,” Renton Police Department spokesperson Sandra Havlik said. “Running from an officer while in a vehicle is eluding, and that is a felony charge.”
Havlik said running from the police is against the law and it’s dangerous. She said running from police can escalate a situation and be unsafe for the suspect, the officer and bystanders.
Havlik said it depends on the situation, but the punishment for operating an unlicensed motorcycle ranges from a ticket up to impoundment of the vehicle.
