The California Highway Patrol has highlighted a way to arrest suspects without the need to pursue them dangerously in traffic that endangers multiple lives.
The challenge with police pursuits is that they often put other motorists’ lives at risk. Then there is also the danger of officers being harmed or killed in high-speed pursuits.
Now, though, a video posted by CHP on Facebook showed how the police tracked a motorcyclist riding dangerously at over 130 mph on July 4. There were no police cars in pursuit, something that may have prevented him from speeding up even further.
The best part is that the rider was not even aware he was being tracked by the police until he stopped and got off his superbike.
CHP’s Air Unit Kept Constant Track of the Motorcyclist
According to the CHP video, the commander of the CHP Capistrano area office observed a red motorcycle traveling at over 130 mph. With the help of the CHP Air Unit, Air-51 tracked the motorcyclist until the rider stopped, enabling a patrol vehicle to make the arrest.
Footage on Facebook shows the motorcyclist weaving dangerously through traffic at triple-digit speeds while his speed and lane position are constantly tracked by the air unit, with the information passed along via radio.
From a high altitude, the motorcycle looked like a tiny object passing between cars at a high rate of speed. Soon enough, though, the motorcyclist went off the freeway and rode a short distance before stopping in a parking lot.
At that point, patrol vehicles were directed to the location, and in no time, two police cars were at the scene. The motorcyclist, meanwhile, had just gotten off his motorcycle. Close-up footage suggests the motorcycle was a Ducati, but that is yet to be confirmed.
Judge Orders Seizure of Motorcycle
The footage revealed that the motorcyclist was arrested for reckless driving. The court also ordered the seizure of the motorcycle for 30 days. The Facebook post by CHP stated that the coordinated arrest led to the seizure of the 38th vehicle this year. It stated:
“On July 4th, the CHP – Capistrano area commander observed a motorcyclist traveling in excess of 120 MPH. Using CHP’s fixed-wing aircraft, officers tracked the rider and coordinated a safe arrest once the motorcycle came to a stop. The motorcycle was seized for 30 days under a judge-signed court order.
“This is the 38th vehicle seized this year by the CHP Capistrano Area for reckless driving, speed contests, or evading law enforcement.
“Excessive speed and racing put everyone at risk. No thrill is worth a life. Slow down, drive responsibly, and help keep our roads safe.”
The identity of the rider has not been revealed by the CHP. It is also not known whether CHP plans to use air support in similar operations in the future.