Poppin’ Wheelies
By: Mr. Wilson on
May 31, 2007
Hey cool, I (almost) saw this happen!
At 5:38 p.m., a trooper saw a motorcyclist popping wheelies near 27th Street and Old Cheney Road, said spokeswoman Deb Collins. When the trooper tried to stop the man, he fled, resulting in a short chase that included the assistance of a State Patrol helicopter, Collins said.I saw the trooper driving strangely at 48th and Highway 2 just minutes later, and just before 7:00 I saw a patrol car parked in the median near 27th and Pine Lake Road. I was confused about why the State Patrol seemed to be doing traffic work in the city. One thing about this bugs me: why the helicopter? Since when does a doofus on a bike require the trouble and expense of a helicopter search? Yeah, I know, the biker ran away from the cops. But what were the odds that a helicopter search would find the guy? Surely pretty low in this sort of a situation. Assuming there wasn't reason to believe the biker was linked to a more serious crime, I'm inclined to call the helicopter search a waste. Indeed, it was citizens on the ground who cracked the case:
After troopers ended the pursuit, the patrol started receiving calls from neighbors in the area who said the knew where the bike and driver were, Collins said. The motorcycle was later found at a home on Birch Creek Drive, and around 7:30 p.m., police arrested the driver at his home on Coronado Drive, Collins said. Timothy Wright, 19, was arrested and jailed on suspicion of speeding and fleeing to avoid arrest, Collins said. Wright does not have motorcycle license, she said.I have to wonder if Wright's neighbors weren't tickled to finally nail a neighborhood menace.