Motorcycle rider accused of reaching speeds of 140 mph during pursuit

GO SPEED RACER!!!!!

That's pretty dangerous escalating an already dangerous situation by chasing him. No disrespect intended to officer Reeves, but chasing a motorcycle after dark at speeds of 140 MPH through other traffic just doesn't seem prudent to me. How many other lives were placed at risk by initiating a high speed pursuit? The rider was wanted for speeding which to me does not warrant amping up the situation. It went from bad to worse and luckily didn't end in disaster. Chasing a steroid factory at high speeds on a motorcycle after dark in deer country and through populated areas seems far too dangerous. Please save the high speed pursuits for catching murder suspects.

Surely, you are correct, Doug. I'm just wondering, where should the line be drawn?
Should it only be high-speed pursuits of motorcycles that should be stopped? What about cars? Any of them could end up as a tragedy. Or should NY just let the public know that all they have to do is speed up, and we won't chase you?
It's a tough one (these high-speed chases). What criteria would you, as a thinking person, choose as a reason to chase?
Example: You are a deputy, and someone goes by at 80, 90 mph. Do you just let them keep going, and possibly pick up the speeders' (and their possible other victims' parts) down the road. Or do you attempt to stop them as quickly as you can, to, maybe, save innocent people.
As I said, it's a tough one.

When the chase started deputy Reeves had no idea why the motorcylist was running, he very well could have been a murder suspect. I agree it is dangrous to be involved with a high speed chase, but if he just let the guy go and there was an accident, then people would be complaining that the police didn't do anything to stop him, it's sometimes a lose - lose situation.
and then there's that personal responcability thing......it aint the cops fault the dude decided to run!

Just a thought... isnt this what radios, liscence plates and such are for, If you cant radio ahead to have him stopped, or get the tag # and just go to his house then whats the point in having these tools available? I dont ride cycles that often but have been on 3 and 4 wheel atvs and they dont stop on no dime 1 neighborhood dog or deer or 1 boy or girl crossing the street. Hell eve a car door opening on the side of the road and boom...tragedy that could have been prevented.

I was listening to the chase on my scanner. I know, I've turned into my father. They had his plate number pretty early on and it was obvious he was headed home. Which he almost made. When I was a kid I remember a motorcyclist getting chased into a train and dying in LeRoy which was my worry while listening to it. Fortunately he didn't hurt himself or anyone else.

I just can't find reason for high speed chases in many situations. It's too dangerous and often innocent people are killed as a result.

Gary, police can't operate under the assumption that "Joe public" MIGHT have done something wrong, so they should chase him. I mean, if they were able to do that then they can break down your door at any time because you're probably breaking the law somehow! C',mon....

Driving under the influence is bad enough, but chasing a motorcycle just because it's speeding already is just downright crazy. If they already have the plate number, chasing him is just over the top.

Well, Kyle, I'm (assuming) that police radios were used, as the State Police, and another deputy, were also involved. I'm also assuming that the original deputy wasn't the one to stop this guy. It probably was a 'roadblock' of some sort, that was set up in front of the cycle.
As for license plate #'s, that only shows who registered the vehicle, not who was currently driving it.
I know, I'd hate to be 'completely soused', pass out, have somebody borrow my bike for a half-hour (unknown to me), speed around and get noticed by a cop. The speeder brings my bike back, hops in his car and leaves. An hour later, the cops show up, give me a DWI, speeding, reckless-driving, tickets, and what defense do I HAVE? That I was asleep? How do I prove that I wasn't the one who was driving? Do I deserve the tickets, just because I was passed out on my own property? I didn't commit any crimes.
License plates don't provide a lot of 'evidence'.
As I told Doug earlier, it's a tough situation (when to chase, or not).

Doug. You wrote, "...police can't operate under the assumption that "Joe public" MIGHT have done something wrong, so they should chase him."

Sorry, Doug, but the driver of this cycle WAS 'doing something wrong' already. There was no assumption on the deputy's part.

But, you are right, in that, the deputy shouldn't assume a speeder is speeding because another crime might have been commited.

Ed, I don't think the decision is that difficult. He was on a very distinctive bike if it was the bike that's on his facebook page. Police are very good at identifying make and models of all kinds of vehicles and bikes. The bike on his FB page if a Yamaha YZF-R6. It's a 600CC crotch rocket capable of speeds in excess of 150 MPH.

I remember a story on the Batavian last year about a motorcycle that kept blasting down roads through Alexander and Attica. I wonder if it was the same guy: http://thebatavian.com/howard-owens/deputy-pursues-motorcyclist-wyoming…

Lol Ed, I'm glad you understood the point I was trying to make. Is speeding actually a crime, or is it an infraction of the law? Trying to pull him over for speeding is reasonable, but if the guy/gal on the crotch rocket starts to run and is endangering innocent bystanders, I still think it's better to back off the pursuit, don't you?

Doug, I guess I'd have to say, "Yes, and NO".
As I (tried) to imply earlier, letting a speeder (go), might just encourage more people to decide that, "If I just go fast enough, he won't chase me any more".

I can tell you that, as a (stupid) teenager, I did far more than my share of speeding. And, if I had thought that going faster would make the cops back off, I would have 'stepped on it'. But, the thought back then was (in most cases), I can't outrun him, so I might as well pull over & take my lumps.

I guess it all boils down to what the officer thinks is the best solution. I do believe that if 'law enforcement' let's it become common knowledge that excessive speeders won't be pursued, you'd see more people trying to 'get away'. But, that's just my assumption.

I understand that issue with the liscence plates Ed, but it's likely that if the owner of the bike wasn't the driver then he pretty much knows who was riding it so he can take the tickets or give up who was riding. If it was stolen well... thats a different ball game then.

Pretty soon, they'll just launch a missile from a drone and end it right there.

Sure, Kyle. That works out great, IF you knew who was driving your bike. What I was asking is for you to put yourself in a position of NOT knowing who had your bike. IT COULD happen, as unlikely as it sounds. So what recourse do you have?

Should you lose your license, spend tens of thousands of $$ on legal fees and/or fines, maybe go to jail for 6 months, for something you DIDN'T do? Just because you DIDN'T know who had your bike? The only thing you "did wrong" in the little story I submitted was got drunk & passed out, which really isn't illegal. Should you do jail time for something you didn't do?

And, yeah, if I knew who had taken MY bike and commited this crime, I, personally, would've told him, "Either you turn yourself in, or I'm gonna 'squeal like a pig'!!" -- I LOVE that line!!

A missile from a drone Dave? I can see it now, the guy is leanin over his handlebars just crusing away, then the deputy keys up a remote control from his car's laptop. <flas> to a drone in the sky over ther county, He has a big red rocket that strangely resembles a ladie's amusement device on it's side painted "Mr Red Rocket"

The Deputy says in a military like voice..... One rectal breach, coming up, then pushes the launch key.

I'll let everyone's imagination fill in the rest. I'm pretty sure he'll stop after that though.....yes Ed I'm sure he'll squeal like a pig after that lol

You just gave all the law and order types a woody, Kyle

Ed, if a person got themselves so hammered,that he/she passed out, didn't know who was with them, and had their vehicle taken without
knowing it, probably deserve the tickets.
Enough of the high speed chases, we have other methods available.

OK, Frank. I guess that was, maybe, a poor example. I have no idea where you stand on imbibing, but, let's assume you (or anyone) has 3 or 4 beers. As far as the 'state' is concerned, you're over the limit for driving. You're not falling down drunk. You go lay down to take a nap. Somebody (we have no idea who, just somebody - MAYBE the guy you bought the bike from 2 years earlier- and he had a copy of the keys) takes your vehicle, speeds down the road, gets spotted, and outruns them. He drops the bike back off at your house & leaves. The cops show up 5 minutes after the 'driver' left, and want to arrest you for DWI, speeding, etc.
Are you telling me that you 'deserved' the tickets? Why? Because you weren't diligent enough to have the ignition system changed? Who does that?

My whole point in the 'story' is that the license plate ONLY shows who currently registered the vehicle. It shows NOTHING about who is driving it.

You guys should go to Broadcastify.com and pull the archive of the scanner talk, contrary to some of the suggestions here our local law enforcement is not filled with lethal weapon II type hotdogs.

At the same time, pull up the chase that went through Batavia last week, you might be surprised to discover that much of the radio traffic emphasis was on safety

Actually, Mark, my laptop is (almost constantly) blaring out 24hrs/day of Detroit Police Dispatch from tunein.com

Of course, I've got probaby 30 or more stations from all around the U.S. programmed as 'favorites', but Detroit seems to be the busiest (go figure).

Thanks for the info, though. I'll see what's on Broadcastify

You can't outrun a radio.

Good job again Deputy. It seems like Mr. Reeves is pretty much the only Deputy we've got around this place. I see his name all over.

Gary - i wish it was the same kid from attica/darien. It isnt though. I know both of the young men (Christian & the other one) Christian is lucky he didnt hurt someone. He needs a good slap in the butt, im hoping for a good jail term for him as he isnt a first timer.. he got in some trouble in 2010 with giving his brothers name and birthday while under the influence and driving. I hope for a wake up call for him because he has 3 young boys who dont need to end up like him.. Although he doesnt seem to care and is acting like its funny and a joke.. I hope the judge goes hard on him. It isnt funny.

Sorry i meant my reply to be for Doug, Not gary!!!!

I try awfully hard not to be judgmental, we all make mistakes. but.....25 years old with 3 children? He should probably be working 2 or 3 jobs and not have time for this nonsense.