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MOTORCYCLE POLICE NEWS.
Police Officers in the News - August 2005
Here is the article archive of headlines that have appeared in newspapers around the United States which relate to police motorcycle officers.


08/01/06
Officer shot during traffic stop - Fresno, CA
Fresno police are searching for at least two suspects who wounded a police officer.

A spokesperson for the Fresno Police department says Officer Brian Nieto was shot at least three times while making a traffic stop near Floradora Avenue and Fresno Street around 8:00pm Monday night.

According to reports, Nieto had pulled over a vehicle near San Joaquin Memorial High School. He was just about to dismount from his motorcycle when the two men inside the car opened fire.

Nieto’s partner was in the area and was able to fire his weapon at the suspect vehicle.

Officer Nieto remains in critical condition at Fresno’s University Medical Center....     Read the full story.

08/02/06
News from the San Joaquin Valley - Fresno, CA
A Fresno police officer was recovering Wednesday after he was shot at least three times during a traffic stop.

Officer Brian Nieto, 32, went through surgery twice Tuesday for leg and chest wounds at University Medical Center. He was hospitalized Monday night after trying to stop two men in a stolen car with no license plates.

Nieto was shot in areas not covered by his bulletproof vest, police said.

"It's a very, very difficult day for me as a police chief and for the officers that are in his department," Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer said.

The suspects' car was found less than a mile from the shooting.

Nieto is a motorcycle officer and has been with the department for about three and a half years....     Read the full story.

08/03/06
Park Police Officer Struck By Driver On GW Parkway - Washington, DC
A United States Park Police officer is being treated at a local hospital after being involved in an accident oon on the George Washington Parkway.

Sergeant Scott Fear says the officer was riding on a motorcycle southbound on the parkway when he was struck by a vehicle around 12:45 p.m. The officers injuries are being described as serious, but non-life threatening.

The other driver was uninjured in the crash and is cooperating with park police....     Read the full story.

08/03/06
Suspect caught in death of police officer - Haines, FL
A man believed to be a hit-and-run driver who struck a 24-year-old police officer riding a motorcycle has been captured.

Florida Highway Patrol officials said Phoenix Montana Braithwaite of the Haines City Police Department was hit and killed by a minivan as he rode his motorcycle Wednesday near the Osceola-Polk county line on U.S. 17-92.

Police said the driver of the minivan, identified by police as Miguel Gonzalez, apparently tried to pass another vehicle and hit Braithwaite.

"The force of the collision thrust him into another lane where he was hit by a semi," Local 6 reporter Todd Jurkowski said. "His bike was dragged about a half mile down the road."...     Read the full story.

08/04/06
Officer's widow files suit alleging wrongful death - Oakland, CA
The widow of an Oakland Police officer killed in a traffic accident two years ago has filed a wrongful death suit against a truck driver who was cleared of criminal charges in the case.

Michele Seuis alleges that her husband, William Seuis, was killed as a result of negligence on the part of Carlos Mares and his trucking company, Mares Trucking.

"We will, without a doubt, be able to prove Mr. Mares was responsible for the death of Officer Seuis," said attorney Harry Stern, who represents Michele Seuis.

Neither Mares nor an attorney representing him could be reached for comment Friday.

According to court documents, Officer William Seuis was in uniform and driving his police motorcycle home to Pleasanton in heavy traffic on Interstate 238 near Castro Valley shortly after 2 p.m. on July 22, 2004, when he attempted to pass between Mares' big rig and another vehicle.

At least two witnesses said there did not appear to be enough room for his Harley Davidson to squeeze by Mares' truck and a sedan in the neighboring lane.

One witness said Seuis' right shoulder touched the rig, and the officer got "sucked under" the rear tires.

Traffic was moving between 5 and 15 mph, according to accounts. Officer Seuis, a 16-year veteran of the force, was a popular officer and an experienced motorcyclist. He was a member of the department's drill team, which showcases precise maneuvers.

Passing between two vehicles on a motorcycle, or "splitting lanes," is legal in California as long as it is done "in a safe and prudent manner," according to California Highway Patrol guidelines. It is not legal in any other state, although lawmakers in Washington and Texas have drafted bills that would allow the practice in congested traffic.

After the accident, Mares called 911 to report an officer had been struck. He did not stop at the scene, and gave conflicting statements whether his truck or a dirt hauler was involved. Mares was pulled over and arrested about 14 miles away on Interstate 580 in Pleasanton. He was charged with leaving the scene of an accident that resulted in death, a felony....     Read the full story.

08/04/06
Deputy dies from injuries in hit-and-run - Orlando, FL
Orange County Deputy Sheriff Michael A. Callin died Wednesday night from injuries he received Tuesday when a motorist he was trying to stop near Universal Orlando ran him down and fled.

Callin, 26, a motorcycle officer, received massive blood transfusions as doctors tried to repair massive internal injuries that included kidney failure and brain damage. He was removed from life support and was pronounced dead at 7:25 p.m. Wednesday as about 300 relatives, friends and co-workers crowded Orlando Regional Medical Center to be nearby, Sheriff Kevin Beary said.

"It's an absolutely senseless loss for the community," Beary said. "There's an attitude of lawlessness out there."

The suspect abandoned his vehicle and fled on foot before being captured.

In a brief appearance in an Orange County Jail courtroom, the man charged with trying to kill Callin was ordered held without bail. Allan O. Barahona, 19, of Orlando told Judge Nancy Clark that he did not need a public defender....     Read the full story.

08/04/06
Somerset police ready for motorcycle patrols - Somerset, PA
As early as next week, the borough may be patrolled in part by a purring police motorcycle unit.

Borough police expect their Harley-Davidson Road King to arrive any day, Chief Randy Cox said, and Officers Stephen Borosky and Aaron Folton are ready to ride.

The new patrol will work on a six-month trial basis. After that, borough officials and police will decide whether to front $15,000 to buy the bike from Highland Harley-Davidson or return it at no cost.

“The trial period is a no-lose situation for the borough,” Cox said.

He estimated that, in a six-month period, the bike could save the borough more than $1,700 in gas, since the Harley gets 76 percent better gas mileage than the department’s cruisers.

It also will reduce the strain on the cruisers, he said, and give officers greater freedom in congested traffic.

The borough invested less than $700 in riding equipment such as boots and helmets and, if the unit becomes a permanent fixture, the two officers likely would undergo training....     Read the full story.

08/05/06
Police: Drunken Woman Slammed Into Officer's Motorcycle - Anderson, IN
A woman was arrested on Saturday after police said she struck an Indiana State Police officer riding a motorcycle.

Darlene Nader, 48, of Anderson faces several charges, including driving while intoxicated, felony resisting law enforcement and check deception.

Police said a car Nader was driving struck Trooper Anthony Emery as he patrolled at the intersection of George and 21st streets at about 2:30 p.m....     Read the full story.

08/05/06
Police find drugs, guns, explosives - El Cajon, CA
A traffic stop turned up explosives, drugs and loaded guns in a Campo man's car and home Thursday, police said yesterday.

El Cajon police motorcycle Officer Jeff Mowers stopped the man for speeding on North Marshall Avenue about 11 a.m. Thursday, Lt. Tim Henton said.

When Mowers found that the man's driver's license was suspended, he started to impound the car. The officer then searched the car and found a loaded handgun, a loaded sawed-off shotgun, explosives, detonation cord and a blasting cap, as well as a small amount of marijuana and methamphetamine, Henton said....     Read the full story.

08/06/06
Woman arrested after car hits officer's motorcycle - Anderson, IN
State Police on Saturday arrested a woman after the car she was driving struck an officer on a motorcycle.

Darlene Nader, 48, Anderson, struck the rear of Indiana State Trooper Anthony Emery's motorcycle while Emery was on patrol near 21st and George streets in Anderson.

Emery was not injured....     Read the full story.

08/07/06
Motorcycle cop makes comeback in local communities - Egg Harbor Township, NJ
Anyone who drives through Egg Harbor Township might have noticed one of the latest vehicles local police have on the road, because it's also by far the smallest vehicle they have on the road.

The slim white motorcycles are so small they can also go off-road, and police Chief John Coyle says his department's fledgling cycle unit actually started about nine years ago with off-road models assigned to catch people riding dirt bikes and all-terrain vehicles illegally around the sprawling township.

But for just the past two years, Officers Al Maiorano and Kevin Devlin also have been using 650-cc BMWs to cover the Black Horse Pike and other roads. That puts the township among a small but growing number of southern New Jersey police departments outfitting a few officers with two wheels instead of four.

And although Sea Isle City, North Wildwood and Galloway Township are among the other departments with relatively young motorcycle units, State Police Sgt. Michael Ambrosio points out that many police are just going back to the future with the motorcycle. Ambrosio heads a cycle unit that started in 2003 — 50 years after the State Police last had two-wheeled patrols on the road. But for several decades before they stopped riding cycles in 1953, he says, most troopers who were on the road were there on motorcycles.

Motorcycle police are far more common in northern New Jersey, Ambrosio says, and in urban settings —

Atlantic City has used them extensively for years, and police cycles are also a familiar sight in Pleasantville. Some other departments on the local mainland also have a fair amount of motorcycle history, with Middle Township's patrols going back about 20 years and Hammonton's dating to the early 1990s, chiefs there say....     Read the full story.

08/08/06
Court to hear ex-cop's sexual assault appeal - Jackson, MS
A federal appeals court has scheduled arguments for Sept. 5 in an appeal by former Jackson police officer Maceo Simmons of his conviction of civil rights charges stemming from a 1999 sexual assault.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will hear the case in New Orleans.

The victim, who was 19 at the time of the assault, said after a traffic stop on Sept. 19, 1999, Simmons took her in his patrol car to a remote spot and sexually assaulted her while a second officer acted as a lookout, according to the court record.

The woman said she waited a year before filing a report because she was scared.

Simmons and Officer Thomas Catchings were arrested in December 2000 and placed on administrative leave without pay. The two were acquitted in state court in 2001.

Simmons was convicted March 1, 2005, in federal court in Jackson on a charge that he had committed the assault while acting under the color of law. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Catchings, a Jackson motorcycle officer who was shot to death March 17, 2005, was granted immunity and testified against Simmons in the federal trial....     Read the full story.

08/08/06
Officer injured twice in 3 hours - Exeter, NH
A police officer was injured not once but twice in fewer than three hours while on patrol at Hampton Beach.

Hampton Police Chief Jamie Sullivan said part-time police officer Robert Turcotte suffered a fracture to his face after he was punched while trying to make an arrest in a domestic dispute.

Several hours later, the same officer suffered bruises to his legs and arms after he was pushed down the stairs by a man who was allegedly shooting flames near the Hampton Beach Casino and McDonald's.

"He's going to be OK," Sullivan said. "He's going to take a few days off but he's already asked when his next shift is going to be."

Sullivan said the first incident occurred at 11:42 p.m. on Aug. 4.

Officer Turcotte was on motorcycle patrol when he spotted a couple having an argument in front of the Ashworth Parking Lot on Ahsworth Avenue....     Read the full story.

08/09/06
Officer injured after motorcycle struck by car - Winston-Salem, NC
A woman was cited for making an improper left turn after her car collided into a motorcycle driven by a police officer, injuring him, police reported today.

Winston-Salem Police Cpl. R. K. Peterson was driving south on Marshall Street in the left lane while Patricia Vilar was in the right lane.

Peterson and Vilar approached the intersection of Marshall Street and Second Street, Vilar turned left into the left lane and collided into Peterson, police said....     Read the full story.

08/09/06
State police unveil motorcycle patrol in Marion - Marion, IL
One way to meet a state trooper on the new motorcycle patrol is to speed.

He'll introduce himself and possibly give you a citation as a souvenir of the visit. Catching speeders is one of the motorcycle patrol's specialties.

The Illinois State Police and the Illinois Department of Transportation unveiled part of the new state motorcycle patrol Tuesday in Marion. To debut the patrol, the officers will be active in the area in extra force for a few days. Then the six officers who are assigned to Southern Illinois will begin their standard patrol duties.

The main focus of the motorcycle patrol is highway safety, specifically enforcing against what state police have termed the "Fatal Five" violations - speeding, seat belts, improper lane usage, following too closely and DUI.

Troopers in squad cars can do those things, too, but the motorcycles provide some added benefits. They are more maneuverable through heavy traffic, for one thing.

"The motorcycle officers can provide rapid response at crash scenes," Col. Charles Brueggeman said. "They can get to the crash scene more quickly than their four-wheeled counterparts because they are so much more maneuverable in dense traffic."

Motorcycle patrol officers who can weave in to the actual crash scene can immediately begin restoring order, Brueggeman said. They will be able to administer emergency first aid, contact the right emergency medical response personnel and begin arrangements for tow trucks if necessary.

That will also serve the secondary purpose of getting a crash scene removed from the roadway more quickly, reducing the chances for secondary crashes caused by road blockage from the primary crash, Brueggeman said.

Another benefit is raising motorists' awareness of motorcycles on the road.

"Our focus will be primarily on the 'Fatal Five' but we think if we are doing motorcycle patrols, people will begin looking for us," Master Sgt. David Taylor, commanding officer for the motorcycle platoon in Southern Illinois, said. "If people start thinking that a motorcycle rider might be a police officer, maybe they'll pay a little more attention."

"The mind doesn't seem to register a motorcycle in the same way as a car or a Mack truck," Trooper Ray Minor, one of the Southern Illinois motorcycle patrol officers, said. "Seventy percent of motorcycle fatalities occur at intersections. People just don't see motorcycles. Even if they slow down for a split second (to see if the motorcycle on the road belongs to a police officer) it could very well save lives."

Minor noted that the motorcycle-rider camaraderie noticeable among civilian bikers extends to the motorcycle officers, too. The low-down wave passing motorcyclists give each other is offered to the cops on Harleys, too....     Read the full story.

08/09/06
State Police seek photo of officer killed in 1924 - Waterville, ME
On Aug. 9, 1924 State Highway Patrol Officer Emery O. Gooch of Waterville was riding his state-issued motorcycle home from northern Maine to spend the weekend with his new bride.

Gooch, who had been with the Highway Patrol for only a month, never made it.

He reportedly lost control of his motorcycle on what is now U.S. Route 2 in Mattawamkeag and died a few hours later en route by rail to a Bangor hospital.

He was 29.

Gooch was the first member of State Police to die in the line of duty and no photograph has ever been found of him despite numerous efforts over the years, according to Department of Public Safety spokesman Stephen H. McCausland.

"Having been issued a weekend leave of absence, Emery was headed south from northern Maine, presumably for Augusta to drop off the motorcycle before heading home to Waterville," McCausland said. "He had served the State Highway Police that summer, patrolling in Aroostook County."

That was 82 years ago and police are looking for a photograph of Gooch for the state's Fallen Heroes honor roll....     Read the full story.

08/10/06
Hundreds remember CHP officer killed on road - Concord, CA
...The two-year CHP veteran, who was on the ramp's left shoulder investigating a minor crash, died Sunday morning at Highland Hospital of multiple injuries.

Today, a motorcade of scores of law enforcement vehicles began arriving at the pavilion shortly before 10 a.m. for the service.

Led by a column of at least 22 motorcycle-riding officers, the motorcade passed beneath a large American flag flapping in a gentle breeze over the Pavilion entrance. Motorcycle officers and patrol cars from dozens of law enforcement agencies streamed in for at least 20 minutes....     Read the full story.

08/10/06
Cycle cop takes a new road - New York, NY
As an NYPD highway cop, Sgt. Al Morabito saw things no person should see, and he did it for 40 years.

"It got kind of gory out there, I could tell you," the 63-year-old father of three said of the countless accident scenes he responded to across Queens and Brooklyn. "Unfortunately, we can't run away. We have to stay there."

Morabito doesn't often discuss details of his job. But in the NYPD it's well-known that his motorcycle led motorcades for every U.S. President since Richard Nixon. He even escorted the Pope to Shea Stadium.

Those who know him best - his family and his colleagues at Highway Unit 3 in Utopia - roasted Morabito as he stepped away from the only life he's known since 1966: the life of a cop.

In turning in his badge, the Queens native was honored for his - nowadays-rare - four decades on the job....     Read the full story.

08/10/06
SUV Hits Police Officer On Motorcycle - Seaford, DE
A Seaford police officer was flown to Christiana Hospital after an SUV hit his motorcycle Wednesday morning.
It happened around 9:45 a.m. at the intersection of Stein Highway and Shipley Street.
Police said 34-year-old Corporal Aaron Mitchell, a six-year veteran of the Seaford Police Department, was riding east on Stein Highway approaching the intersection when a Ford Escape tried to make a left-hand turn from westbound Stein Highway....     Read the full story.

08/10/06
Cops take to two wheels: Police department equipped with two motorcycles - South Lake Tahoe, UT
A new motorcycle gang has arrived at South Lake Tahoe.

South Lake Tahoe police officers will be searching for speed demons and assorted highway and sidestreet lawbreakers with the help of two new BMW rt1200p motorcycles added to the force.

"They're really great for doing traffic enforcement," said Shannon Laney, a motorcycle officer. "One of the problems with (patrol) cars is we can't get to violators as easily."

Police Officer Mark Allen also rides a motorcycle.

While some might wonder why a police department in a mountain town deluged by snow in the winter would get two motorcycles, Laney said the brand new rides will be in use whenever the roads are clear. "

Basically it's going to be up to Highway 50," Laney said.

The department is the first in the nation to receive the models, Laney said. Paid for by Proposition 172 money, the motorcycles have already began paying dividends....     Read the full story.

08/10/06
Motorcycle cops hone riding skills - Aylmer, Ontatio, Canada
Police officers from across Ontario honed their motorcycle riding skills yesterday to prepare for a training seminar this month that will draw officers from across North America.

"It's a fantastic opportunity for the public to see what motorcycles can do in the hands of trained police officers," London police Sgt. Tom O'Brien said yesterday.

The Great Lakes police motorcycle training seminar will be held from Aug. 23 to 26 at the Ontario Police College in Aylmer.

The event is open to the public and admission is free.

The goal of the seminar is to allow novice riders to learn from their experienced riding colleagues.

Various courses, such as the figure eight and the crazy horse, are set up to test precision and safe riding skills.

The performances are like watching "the Snowbirds on wheels," O'Brien said at a news conference yesterday at the police college to promote the event.

About 80 participants are registered for the seminar, he said. "We're hoping for about 100 police officers riding motorcycles."

Last year, the event was held in Chatham-Kent where it attracted competitors from as far away as California. About 120 officers represented 25 different police forces.

Police use motorcycles for enforcement, as well as community service, such as parades and escorted events.

Two special performances are scheduled during the four-day meet.

The Winged Wheels motorcycle team of Toronto police will demonstrate precision riding on Aug. 23 at the Ontario Police College....     Read the full story.

08/10/06
Police officer on motorcycle is hit by car - Winston-Salem, NC
A Winston-Salem police officer on a motorcycle was slightly injured yesterday in a collision with a car, police said.

Cpl. Rob Peterson, 38, was driving south on his police motorcycle in the left lane of Marshall Street, approaching the intersection with Second Street shortly before 9:30 a.m.

Patricia Vilar, 59, of 2678 Merry Oaks Trail was driving in the right lane. Police said that Vilar moved to the left lane and collided with Peterson.

Peterson had scrapes and bruises, said Lt. David Kiger. Another officer took him to Forsyth Medical Center, where he was treated and released....     Read the full story.

08/11/06
Fresno police identifies officer who shot Figueroa - Fresno, CA
Fresno Police Officer Gunter Meiss has been identified as the police officer who on Aug. 3 shot and killed Joaquin Figueroa, 25, a suspect in the shooting of a Fresno motorcycle police officer and a series of other crimes.

Figueroa was the main suspect in the July 31 shooting of motorcycle officer Brian Nieto, 32. Meiss, a 10-year veteran of the Fresno Police Department, has returned to his assignment with the Parole Apprehension Team....     Read the full story.

08/11/06
1965: Arrest sparks six-day riots in Watts - Los Angeles, CA
Aug. 11, 1965: At 7:19 p.m. in Watts, a California Highway Patrol motorcycle officer named Lee Minikus pulled over 21-year-old Marquette Frye on suspicion of drunk driving. Minikus was white. Frye was black. When the two scuffled at Avalon Boulevard and 116th Street, a crowd gathered.

That night, 1,000 people rioted in Watts, some throwing bricks, rocks and bottles at police and motorists, The Times reported. About 100 officers were brought in to attempt "to quell the five-hour melee by sealing off an eight-block area," the newspaper said....     Read the full story.

08/14/06
BRPD officer dies in traffic accident - Baton Rouge, LA
Cpl. Christopher Metternich, 31, a Baton Rouge Police motorcycle officer, was killed Monday in a traffic accident on Sherwood Forest Boulevard and Newcastle Avenue, police spokesman Sgt. Don Kelly said in a release.

Traffic was closed to through traffic on Sherwood Forest from Interstate 12 south to Coursey Boulevard from just after 11 a.m. to about 1:15 p.m.

Traveling on his motorcycle, Metternich struck the side of a green Mercury Sable, which was taking a lefthand turn off South Sherwood onto Newcastle, according to Kelly. Metternich had just finished with the investigation of an unrelated accident, police said. He died at the scene.

Baton Rouge Police Chief Jeff LeDuff praised Metternich, whom he personally trained in the academy.

"It's hard to talk about a person you love or trained," LeDuff said. "Let me tell you about this young man. He knew his whole life what he wanted to do."...     Read the full story.

08/14/06
Baton Rouge Police Officer Dies in Accident - Baton Rouge, LA
Baton Rouge police confirm that Cpl. Christopher Metternich, a motorcycle officer, died Monday morning from injuries sustained in a traffic accident.

Police say the accident happened on South Sherwood Forest Boulevard south of Interstate 12.

Sergeant Don Kelly says Cpl. Metternich was struck by a car making a left turn near the intersection of Newcastle and Sherwood.

"It appears the officer was thrown over the top of the car onto the pavement and was killed," Sgt. Kelly said. "He was dead at the scene when the first responding officers got there to assist him."

The driver of the car, 63-year-old Betty Morse of Baton Rouge, was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. Kelly said witnesses told investigators both Morse and the officer had a green light, but she did not have a green turn arrow. He said Morse was not cited, but added the investigation is continuing....     Read the full story.

08/14/06
Tulsa motorcycle officer injured in crash - Tulsa, OK
A Tulsa police officer is recovering after crashing his motorcycle into the rear of a car he was trying to stop this morning.

Police say the officer was trying to stop a car with Montana plates when the driver slammed on the brakes and the officer hit the rear of the car. The driver then left and police are still looking for the car....     Read the full story.

08/15/06
BRPD officer killed in accident - Baton Rouge, LA
The Baton Rouge Police Department lost its first motorcycle officer in 22 years Monday in a traffic accident at South Sherwood Forest Boulevard and Newcastle Avenue.

Cpl. Christopher Metternich, 31, was northbound on South Sherwood Forest about 10:45 a.m. when a 1996 Mercury Sable driven by 63-year-old Betty Morse made a left turn in front of him, police spokesman Sgt. Don Kelly said.

Metternich struck the passenger side of the car and was tossed onto the road, Kelly said. He appears to have died instantly, Kelly said.

East Baton Rouge Parish Emergency Medical Services took Morse to Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center with serious injuries, Kelly said.

According to witnesses, Morse made the left turn on a green light but did not have the green-turn arrow, Kelly said.

The accident occurred on South Sherwood Forest Boulevard between Coursey Boulevard and Interstate 12.

Although no charges have been filed against Morse, the police Traffic Homicide Unit is investigating the accident, he said.

“Chris Metternich died doing what he loved to do and he was loved by a lot of people while he was doing it,” Police Chief Jeff LeDuff said.

LeDuff trained Metternich to be a motorcycle officer. He gave Metternich his call number, 52, when he was promoted to sergeant....     Read the full story.

08/16/06
Tulsa motorcycle officer injured in crash - Tulsa, OK
A Tulsa police officer is recovering after crashing his motorcycle into the rear of a car he was trying to stop this morning.

Police say the officer was trying to stop a car with Montana plates when the driver slammed on the brakes and the officer hit the rear of the car. The driver then left and police are still looking for the car....     Read the full story.

08/16/06
Local police ride in skills competition - Waterloo, Ont
The Waterloo Regional Police Service is participating in the eighth annual Great Lakes police motorcycle training seminar and competition Aug. 23-26 at the Ontario Police College in Aylmer, Ont.

Const. Tim Boniface and Const. Paul Reibel, of the traffic services branch, will represent the Waterloo Regional Police Service in a motorcycle skills competition with police officers from across North America....     Read the full story.

08/16/06
Driver ticketed in officer’s death - Baton Rouge, LA
Police on Tuesday cited Betty Morse with failure to yield on a left turn, one day after the accident in which motorcycle officer Cpl. Christopher Metternich was killed.

The investigation into the traffic accident, however, is ongoing, said Sgt. Don Kelly, a Police Department spokesman.

Morse, 63, made a left turn in front of Metternich, who was driving his motorcycle north on South Sherwood Forest Boulevard about 10:45 a.m. Monday.

Morse turned onto Newcastle Avenue on a green light, but she did not have a green arrow, Kelly said.

Metternich, a seven-year Police Department veteran, died at the scene after he struck the passenger side of Morse’s 1996 Mercury Sable and was thrown from the motorcycle, Kelly said....     Read the full story.

08/16/06
Motorman hopes drivers learn to watch for motorcycles - Baton Rouge, LA
Every year more than half a dozen motorcycle police officers die in crashes, and one Livingston Parish deputy recently came close to becoming a part of that statistic.

Deputy Jerry Wooster has eight plates and 32 scars on his body after a car pulled in front of him as he escorted a funeral procession.

Having lived through an accident similar to the one that claimed the life of Baton Rouge motorcycle officer Cpl. Chris Metternich, Wooster knows first hand of the importance of road safety.

"People just don't pay attention, they don't see us," said Wooster. "Because they're on the cell phone, they're in a hurry, they have a carload of kids."

After his accident, Wooster and other motorcycle officers now carry their medical cards in their saddlebags, so in case of an accident paramedics will know how to treat them.

Wooster said he hopes this recent accident will remind motorists to be more mindful of police officers on motorcycles, like Metternich....     Read the full story.

08/17/06
Police Compete in Nat'l Motorcycle Rodeo - Centre View, VA
The Fairfax County Police Department returned from the 2006 National Police Motorcycle Rodeo with several awards. On Thursday, Aug. 10, the motorcycle competition began in front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. The event, which concluded on Saturday, allowed motorcycle officers from police departments across the country to compete against each other and test their skills....     Read the full story.

08/17/06
Tulsa Police Motorcycle Officer Injured In Traffic Accident - Tulsa, OK
A Tulsa Police motorcycle officer had a close call Wednesday when the driver the officer was trying to pull over slammed on his brakes. The officer hit the back of the car, then went skidding.

News on 6 crime reporter Lori Fullbright looks at why driving can be more dangerous for police officers than gunfights.

Driving is more dangerous, because officers do it for 8 to 10 hours every day, but might only encounter a gun battle a few times in a career.

In 1999 and 2003, more officers died in car crashes than from guns, which is why citizens need to be careful when sharing the road with police. Tulsa Police Corporal Ron Clark has some road rash and possibly a concussion, but it could've been much worse, had it not been for his helmet. Police say he tried to pull over a driver who didn't want to cooperate.

Tulsa Police Officer Jason Willingham: "When the motorcycle officer got close up behind the vehicle, apparently, the suspect slammed on his brakes and caused the motorcycle to go up under the vehicle."

The number of officers dying in car crashes has been on the rise across the nation the past 20 years. That's why some agencies say more officers can save their lives by wearing a seatbelt than a bullet proof vest. Tulsa Police officer Craig Murray: "A lot of times, when we turn on the red lights or sirens, people stop right there, that's not safe for them, us or the motoring public."

Many officers are hurt or killed while pulled over on the side of the road writing a ticket or giving assistance. That's why Oklahoma passed a law last year that says when an officer is on the side of the road, drivers have to get over at least one lane and if they can't do that, they must slow down. Keeping their eyes straight ahead would help too. Officer Craig Murray: "Rubbernecking, people tend to drive where they're looking and it causes even more crashes that we don't want to deal with."...     Read the full story.

08/18/06
Patrols gearing up for Labor Day - Springfield, IL
...This year, there will be federally funded overtime for police officers in most metro-east muncipalities, stepped-up state police motorcycle patrols, a media campaign of public service announcements and strict enforcement of drunken driving laws.

The key will be "saturated patrols," where extra police officers are put on the streets solely to patrol for drunken drivers, not for any other calls. Supervisors that would ordinarily be in the station house also will be put on the streets....     Read the full story.

08/20/06
Edmonds Motorcycle Officer Seriously Injured In Crash - Edmonds, WA
The Edmonds Police Department says one of their motorcycle officers was seriously injured when his motorcycle flipped on Highway 99 Sunday afternoon.

The officer, who was not identified, was taken to Seattle's Harborview Medical Center. The department says the officer's injuries are not life threatening.

The department says it was around 3:30 when the northbound officer had to lay down his motorcycle in the 22900 block of Highway 99 to avoid colliding with a vehicle that had turned in front of him suddenly....     Read the full story.

08/21/06
Motorcycle Officer Injured Near Crown Center - Kansas City, MO
An officer on a motorcycle was injured Monday afternoon in a collision near Crown Center.

KMBC's Peggy Breit said the officer was northbound on Grand Boulevard near Pershing Road when a car sideswiped the officer....     Read the full story.

08/21/06
Gilbert unveils sculpture honoring public safety workers - Gilbert, AZ
Public safety officials and community members this weekend unveiled plans for a sculpture honoring Officer Rob Targosz, the first Gilbert police officer to be killed in the line of duty, and all of the town's public safety personnel.

The sculpture, depicting a Gilbert fireman passing off a little girl to a police officer, would stand somewhere in front of Gilbert's public safety building off Gilbert Road and Civic Center Drive.

Members of the Gilbert Public Safety Memorial Advisory Committee presented plans, including a rendering and miniature representation of the seven-foot-tall sculpture, to Gilbert Town Council at its Saturday retreat. Fundraising efforts are gearing up on the $200,000 project, which will be funded primarily through donations and then given to Gilbert for display....     Read the full story.

08/21/06
BRPD motorcycle officer killed in traffic accident - Baton Rouge, LA
Baton Rouge police say an officer died today (Monday) when his motorcycle hit a car which turned left at a light Monday. Sergeant Don Kelly says the other driver is in serious condition.

Kelly says 31-year-old Corporal Christopher Metternich was thrown from his motorcycle and landed on his head when he hit the side of a car driven by 63-year-old Betty Morse of Baton Rouge. He says Morse was taken to Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center.

Kelly says witnesses told investigators both she and the officer had a green light, but she did not have a green turn arrow. Kelly said Metternich was on his way from investigating another accident.

He says Morse was not cited, but the investigation is continuing....     Read the full story.

08/22/06
Deputy, two others hurt in collision - Victorville, CA
A motorcycle deputy and two other people were injured Monday evening in a traffic collision.

Palmdale Road was cordoned off at El Evado Road as police investigators worked into the night investigating the accident, which occurred at Palmdale and Amethyst roads at 7:34 p.m.

An unidentified sheriff's deputy from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Victorville station was attempting to make a traffic stop when he was hit by a Toyota pickup truck heading east, said Sgt. Kurt Lackman, also of the Victorville station. The deputy was airlifted to a hospital outside of the area....     Read the full story.

08/23/06
Motorcycle cop wins new Harley for Trumbull - Trumbull, CT
It was an opportunity too good to pass up. While Police Officer Scott Thompson was inside Town Hall on Tuesday, First Selectman Raymond G. Baldwin Jr. hopped on the department's new 2007 Harley Davidson Electraglide that Thompson had just parked outside and took it for a quick spin.

He was back before Thompson got back outside.

"That's a sweet bike," Baldwin said.

And it's made even sweeter by the fact the department didn't pay a dime for it.

Thompson, one of the department's two motorcycle cops, took part in last weekend's America's 9/11 Foundation's annual commemorative motorcycle ride.

The ride visits the crash sites of all three planes hijacked by terrorists on Sept. 11, 2001 — Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., and New York — ending at the World Trade Center.

About 200 motorcycle cops from the region, as well as those from elsewhere in the nation, joined the two-day ride....     Read the full story.

08/23/06
Police Officer Hit By Motorcycle - Lake Mary, FL
The driver of a motorcycle accelerated and hit the officer in Lake Mary, said police.

The Lake Mary Police officer was injured Wednesday morning when he tried to pull over a speeding motorcycle, according to a police report.

Instead of stopping, the motorcyclist accelerated and hit Officer Chris Dye, a traffic enforcement officer.

Investigators said Dye was running radar at about 10:30am on Washington Avenue, where residents have complained of drivers speeding through their neighborhood.

A red Kawasaki was clocked at 37 mph in the 25-mph zone. Dye then activated the emergency lights on his police motorcycle and motioned for the rider to pull over. After first slowing, the rider accelerated and struck Dye before leaving the area at a high rate of speed....     Read the full story.

08/23/06
Wyoming Officer in Critical Condition from Accident - Cheyenne, WY
A Cheyenne police officer is in critical condition after being struck by a pickup truck in the 1200 block of Dunn Avenue Monday morning.

At about 4 p.m. Monday, Cheyenne police Lt. Don Simmer said officer Dennis Shuck was in surgery.

The crash, which happened about 8:50 a.m., is being investigated by the Wyoming Highway Patrol.

Shuck, 54, was in uniform and riding his police motorcycle when he was apparently sideswiped by a pickup truck driven by Brian D. Carlson, 39, near Capitol Lumber.

Shuck was traveling in the same direction as Carlson. He had his lights and sirens on and was attempting to pass Carlson when the crash happened, according to Wyoming Highway Patrol Sgt. Steve Townsend.

Either Carlson didn't see Shuck on his motorcycle when he changed into the right lane, or he heard Shuck's siren and was changing lanes in an attempt to get out of the emergency vehicle's way....     Read the full story.

08/24/06
Motorcyclist revs up to hit cop, leaves - Lake Mary, FL
After activating the red and blue lights on his police motorcycle and waving for a speeding motorcycle to pull over, Lake Mary Officer Chris Dye stepped onto the road as the driver slowed down.

Seconds later, Dye was knocked to the ground as the cyclist accelerated, hit him, and then sped away.

"He made clear eye contact with me," said Dye, who had minor injuries. "He was shaking his head as if he was disappointed, not that he wasn't going to stop."

The man was riding a Kawasaki ZX10 capable of accelerating to 100 mph in seconds, Dye said. By the time he knew the driver was accelerating, he could not get out of the way, Dye said. "He just turned the afterburners on and took off."

Joshua Michael Wiggins, 26, was arrested at his Idyllwilde Drive home near Sanford after an anonymous tip. At first, he refused to come out, but he surrendered after negotiators talked to him on the phone, Dye said. Wiggins is accused of aggravated assault with a motor vehicle, aggravated battery and fleeing from a police officer.

It was the second time this month in Central Florida that a motorcycle officer was hit while trying to stop a motorist. Orange County Deputy Michael A. Callin was fatally injured Aug. 1 when he was hit by a car on the on-ramp from Kirkman Road to Interstate 4 in Orlando. That driver ran off but was later arrested....     Read the full story.

08/24/06
Gwinnett's top female officer blazing trails - Gwinnett, GA
Janet Moon is used to being first. She was the first in her family to graduate from college, the first female motorcycle officer in the Rome Police Department, and in July she became the first female deputy chief of the Suwanee Police Department. As second-in-command of her department, Moon is the highest-ranking female law enforcement officer in Gwinnett County. Supervising a staff of 32 sworn officers in the suburban community of Suwanee, where the biggest problems are traffic congestion and vehicle break-ins, is a far cry from Moon's humble beginnings in rural Cedartown....     Read the full story.

08/24/06
Metro Briefing - Mobile, AL
Mobile police Officer Charles Degeer, 23, suffered minor injuries when the Harley-Davidson police motorcycle he was riding collided with a pickup truck about 9 a.m. Wednesday in south Mobile County, authorities said.

Degeer was taken to Springhill Medical Center, where he was treated and released, said Officer Eric Gallichant, a Mobile police spokesman....     Read the full story.

08/25/06
Wyoming Officer Succumbs to Crash Injury - Cheyenne, WY
The Cheyenne police officer hurt while trying to stop a speeder Monday died Wednesday of injuries suffered in that crash.

Dennis Shuck, 54, died about 9:30 a.m. at United Medical Center-West, where he earlier had undergone surgery to repair internal injuries, including a torn aorta, broken arm and broken clavicle, as well as the removal of a kidney.

He had been with the Cheyenne Police Department for about 12 years and had been in the Air Force and National Guard before that, Police Capt. Jeff Schulz said.

Shuck will be remembered for his good nature and calm demeanor in a job that sometimes hands out challenges in truckloads, fellow officers said.

He was riding his police-issued motorcycle with its emergency lights and siren on when he and a pickup truck collided near Capital Lumber about 9 a.m. Monday. The cause of that crash remains under investigation, and, as of Wednesday afternoon, no citations had been issued by investigators with the Wyoming Highway Patrol....     Read the full story.

08/28/06
Motorcyclist Sought After Allegedly Crashing Into Police Officer - Orlando, FL
An active search was underway Monday evening for a hit and run suspect. Police said the man hit an Orlando police officer while the officer was waving for the man to pull over.

Detectives were looking for 19-year-old Jose Miranda. Investigators said he hit a motorcycle officer in a school zone on Conway Road....     Read the full story.

08/29/06
Motorcycle cop hurt in crash with pickup truck - Oregon City, OR
A motorcycle cop was injured in a crash Tuesday morning when a pickup truck cut in front of him on Highway 99E, according to Oregon State Police.

“At the time of the crash, the OSP motorcycle had emergency lights and siren activated,” said Lt. Gregg Hastings with OSP.

The crash happened just before 7 a.m. Hastings said trooper Jason Lindland was traveling northbound on Highway 99E in Oregon City, responding to a traffic crash on Interstate 205, when the truck suddenly pulled in front of him.

“Trooper Lindland was in the left northbound lane approaching the intersection with 11th Street when a southbound 1986 Toyota pickup turned left toward 11th Street in front of Trooper Lindland,” Hastings explained. “The OSP motorcycle crashed into the right rear side of the pickup.

Lindland, 33, was ejected from his motorcycle and catapulted over the pickup, landing in the roadway.

He was transported by ambulance to Milwaukie Providence Hospital for treatment of a minor forearm injury, and scrapes and bruises....     Read the full story.

08/29/06
OSP motorcycle trooper hurt in Oregon City collision - Oregon City, OR
This is a press release courtesy of the Oregon State Police

An Oregon State Police motor officer received minor injuries Tuesday morning while responding to a traffic crash when a pickup turned in front of his motorcycle.

At the time of the crash, the OSP motorcycle had emergency lights and siren activated.

On August 29, 2006 at approximately 6:50 a.m., OSP Trooper Jason Lindland was operating an OSP 2004 BMW motorcycle northbound on Highway 99E in Oregon City while responding to a reported traffic crash on Interstate 205.

With emergency lights and siren activated, Trooper Lindland was in the left northbound lane approaching the intersection with 11th Street when a southbound 1986 Toyota pickup turned left towards 11th Street in front of Trooper Lindland.

The OSP motorcycle crashed into the right rear side of the pickup, ejecting Trooper Lindland over the pickup onto the roadway.

Trooper Lindland, age 33, was transported by ambulance to Milwaukie Providence Hospital for treatment of a minor forearm injury, and scrapes and bruises....     Read the full story.

08/29/06
Officer injured by hit-and-run motorcyclist - Orlando, FL
An Orlando police motorcycle officer was injured Monday afternoon in a hit-and-run accident involving a motorcyclist who sped through a school zone, authorities said.

Officer Robert Baxter was hit about 3 p.m. while working in a school zone on Conway Road between Curry Ford and Lake Underhill roads. He was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center with injuries that were not life-threatening.

The suspected motorcycle was later found near the 5200 block of Curry Ford Road. It had been reported stolen in Altamonte Springs on Aug. 16. A suspect in the theft was being sought Monday in the hit-and-run.

This was the latest in a string of hit-and-run accidents involving Orlando-area officers. Last week, a Lake Mary motorcycle officer was injured when a motorcyclist sped up in a speed zone and hit him as the officer tried to get him to pull over....     Read the full story.

08/30/06
Motorcycle cops take the heat - Arlington, TX
Once the mercury climbs above the mid-90s, motorcycle officers in Arlington and Fort Worth can ride in the air-conditioned comfort of patrol cruisers. But officials said most have chosen to remain on their bikes.

Even though the temperatures this summer have topped 105 degrees.

Even though many officers wear more than 20 pounds of dark clothing.

Even though gripping a hot, rolling motorcycle between your legs is a bit like riding on top of a percolating coffee pot, said Sgt. Eddie Garth, Arlington Police Motorcycle Unit supervisor.

No one really seems to understand, or is able to adequately explain, the phenomenon.

“Once you’ve done this job on a motorcycle, it’s hard to switch to a car,” said Sgt. Ann Gates, who has been riding with the Fort Worth unit for at least a decade.

Motorcycles are more maneuverable than cars, and it’s easier to spot traffic offenders from a motorcycle, Gates said. An officer on a motorcycle can weave in and out of traffic or make a quick U-turn to apprehend a speeder who might otherwise escape.

And “once you come dressed to ride motorcycles, you’re clumsy getting out of a car,” said Gates....     Read the full story.

08/30/06
2 Arrested For Trying To Run Down Glendale Cop - Glendale, CA
Two men were arrested Wednesday on suspicion of trying to run down a police officer.

The two men, whose names were not available, were arrested after running into the Glendale YMCA to avoid capture.

The men are suspected of driving a Toyota with paper plates north in the 100 block of South Maryland Avenue at about 5:15 p.m. at a high rate of speed, Glendale Police spokesman John Balian said. A motorcycle officer got in front of the car and tried to make him stop, but the driver swerved at him, gunned the engine and took off....     Read the full story.

08/30/06
Motorcyclist arrested in assault on cop - Orlando, FL
The latest in a series of suspects accused of running down motorcycle cops in Central Florida was arrested Tuesday morning.

Jose Gabriel Miranda is accused of striking and fleeing Orlando police motor Officer Robert Baxter during a traffic stop Monday afternoon, records show.

The motorcyclist sped away and abandoned the motorcycle on Curry Ford Road. A registration check showed it had been taken at gunpoint from its owner during a robbery last week in Seminole County, police reports show.

It was the third time in recent weeks in which a motorist wanted for a traffic violation has been accused of trying to kill a law-enforcement officer. On Aug. 2, Orange County Deputy Michael Callin died a day after being struck by a motorist who fled.

On Monday, Baxter suffered minor injuries and identified Miranda, 19, as the rider who struck him, police said....     Read the full story.

08/30/06
Officer shoots and kills suspected car thief - Vista, CA
A suspected car thief who police say tried to run down an officer was shot and killed by the officer Wednesday morning, authorities said. The shooting occurred on Taylor Street near Riveria Drive at 8:42 a.m., in the parking lot of the La Valle de Vista apartment complex, said Oceanside police Sgt. Leonard Mata.

At 8:36 a.m., a city worker heard a radio call about a stolen blue Chrysler PT Cruiser, Mata said. Moments later, the worker spotted the car and began to follow it and called police, Mata said.

A motorcycle officer caught up with the vehicle at the apartment complex as it turned into the parking lot, Mata said. Mata said that's when the man in the car tried to run the officer down, and several shots were fired....     Read the full story.

08/30/06
Police Motorcycle Crashes Tuesday in Oregon City - Oregon City, OR
An Oregon State Police (OSP) motor officer received minor injuries Tuesday morning while responding to a traffic crash. OSP Spokesman Greg Hastings says it happened when a pickup turned in front of the motorcycle. "At the time of the crash, the OSP motorcycle had emergency lights and siren activated."

Around 6:50 AM Tuesday, OSP Trooper Jason Lindland was operating an OSP 2004 BMW motorcycle northbound on Highway 99E in Oregon City responding to a reported traffic crash on Interstate 205.

"With emergency lights and siren activated, Trooper Lindland was in the left northbound lane approaching the intersection with 11th Street when a southbound 1986 Toyota pickup turned left towards 11th Street in front of Trooper Lindland."

Hastings says the OSP motorcycle crashed into the right rear side of the pickup, throwing Lindland over the pickup onto the roadway....     Read the full story.

08/30/06
Wyoming briefs - Cheyene, WY
An investigation has concluded that neither driver was to blame for a traffic accident that killed a motorcycle policeman last week.

The Wyoming Highway Patrol investigated the Aug. 21 crash in which officer Dennis Shuck, riding his police motorcycle, hit a pickup truck. He died two days later.

The investigation found that an oddly designed intersection that merges five roadways in the middle of Cheyenne was to blame. Shuck, 54, was pursuing a vehicle when he tried to pass the pickup truck on the right and the truck turned into him.

"It's just a bad intersection," said Lt. Troy McLees of the Wyoming Highway Patrol. "It is wide enough for two vehicles. I would think this now raises some concerns about that intersection."

City traffic engineer Nathan Beauheim called the Highway Patrol's conclusion, "an interesting verdict."...     Read the full story.

08/31/06
Man accused of auto attack on motorcycle officer is released - Glendale, CA
A man accused of trying to run down a motorcycle officer in Glendale has been released from jail on bail.

Police say 19-year-old Khoren Moughalian of Glendale steered his pickup truck toward a motorcycle officer who tried to stop him Wednesday evening.

Police say Moughalian and his passenger, 20-year-old Setrak Tfankjian, bolted into a nearby Y-M-C-A after the truck struck another vehicle.

Moughalian was arrested at the Y on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon. Tfankjian was booked on charges of obstructing and delaying a public officer.....     Read the full story.

08/31/06
Woman accused in death of motorcycle officer - Baton Rouge, LA
A woman involved in a traffic wreck that killed a Baton Rouge police officer has been booked with negligent homicide and driving while intoxicated, authorities said.

Betty Morse, 63, of Baton Rouge, also was booked with a traffic violation, police said Thursday. She turned herself in after learning that an arrest warrant was issued.

On Aug. 14, Cpl. Christopher Metternich, 31, was hit while on his motorcycle by a car that turned left at an intersection, police said. Metternich was thrown from his motorcycle and landed on his head.

Authorities said the charges were filed after the results of toxicology tests on Morse were given to police....     Read the full story.

08/31/06
Motorcycle officer injured in wreck - Murfreesboro, TN
Murfreesboro motorcycle officer Mike Luzadder was injured today when his motorcycle struck a white Mustang in front of the Blue Raider Bookstore on Greenland Drive.

According to Lt. Alvin Baird with the Murfreesboro Police Department, Luzadder was not seriously injured. The name of the young woman driving the Mustang has not yet been released....     Read the full story.

08/31/06
Walking the St. Helena police beat - St. Helena, CA
...As the department's motorcycle cop, Tharp can usually be found on his 2006 Harley Davidson Road King police model. A motorcycle enthusiast even when he's off duty -- he has a Honda 750 at home -- Tharp is thrilled to be getting paid to do what he loves.

"You get a unique vantage point when you're riding," he said. "You're sitting up higher than a lot of traffic, and your view is unobstructed. In heavy downtown traffic, I can see someone I need to stop heading in the opposite direction and turn on a dime. You can't negotiate traffic like that in a car."

A member of the St. Helena police force for almost four years, Tharp spent six years working for the Department of Mental Health at Napa State Hospital, where he was responsible for taking reports, transporting patients, and keeping dangerous and combative patients under control....     Read the full story.

08/31/06
Man Suspected Of Trying To Run Down Cop Posts Bail - Glendale, CA
A man accused of trying to run down a motorcycle officer in Glendale was free on bail Thursday, as was his passenger, a police officer said.

Khoren Moughalian, 19, of Glendale, is suspected of driving his pickup truck at a motorcycle officer who tried to stop him in the 100 block of South Maryland Avenue about 5:15 p.m. Wednesday, John Balian of the Glendale Police Department said.

The truck hit another vehicle, and Moughalian and his passenger, Setrak Tfankjian, 20, also of Glendale, ran into the YMCA at 140 N. Louise St., where they were caught, Balian said....     Read the full story.

08/31/06
Oceanside officer shoots, kills suspect in auto theft - Oceanside, CA
An Oceanside police officer fatally shot a car-theft suspect who authorities say was trying to run him down yesterday.

The man was declared dead in the parking lot of an apartment complex on Taylor Street in northeast Vista.

As investigators spent the day at the scene, the stolen PT Cruiser remained parked in the lot, a passenger window shattered and four bullet holes in the windshield.

The county Medical Examiner's Office had not confirmed the identity of the dead man last night.

The officer, whose motorcycle was lying on its side in front of the PT Cruiser, was not hurt. His name was not released. Officials say he has been with the department 3½ years.

It is the Oceanside Police Department's first fatal officer-involved shooting this year, Sgt. Leonard Mata said. In 2005, there were two fatal officer-involved shootings.

At 8:30 a.m. the owner of the PT Cruiser saw the thief drive off with the car outside the Summit at the Lake apartment complex on Calle Las Positas in northeast Oceanside, Mata said.

Five minutes later, dispatchers put out the radio call asking officers to be on the lookout for the stolen car. A city worker driving a water utilities truck who heard the alert spotted the car at Melrose Drive and North Santa Fe Avenue.

He called it in to police and continued to follow the car as it drove into Vista, police said.

Minutes later, an Oceanside motorcycle officer caught up to the stolen car on Taylor Street and followed the car into the La Valle de Vista apartment complex just west of Vista Way, police said.

That's when police say the man tried to run down the officer, and the officer fired several shots at the driver at 8:42 a.m.

“It is unclear whether the officer was on his bike at that moment,” Mata said.

A woman who asked not to be named said she was loading up the back of her Chevrolet Blazer when she saw the PT Cruiser and the officer drive past her.

“I heard the motorcycle cop's microphone say, 'Motorist, stop the car, get out and get on the ground,' ” the woman said....     Read the full story.

08/31/06
Arrest made in accident that killed BRPD officer - Baton Rouge, LA
An arrest was made Thursday in the Aug. 14 accident that claimed the life of Baton Rouge Police Department motorcycle officer Cpl. Chris Metternich.

Betty Morse, 63, 12074 Newcastle Ave., was charged with driving while intoxicated, vehicular homicide and vehicle turning left at an intersection, according to a statement issued by Cpl. L’Jean McKneely Jr. of the BRPD.

The accident occurred at the intersection of South Sherwood Forest and Newcastle Avenue.

Morse surrendered to authorities after an arrest warrant was issued, according to McKneely. She was booked into Parish Prison. Her bond has been set at $25,000....     Read the full story.



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