http://www.wtop.com/?nid=25&sid=1154314

In answer to the other thread....officer kills 2, injures 15 as he tries to pursue a sportbike in a family sedan...

[quote]
June 1, 2007 - 8:08am

FORESTVILLE, Md. - Saying that so-called bullet bikes or crotch rockets are "wreaking a tremendous amount of havoc on our roadways," one Maryland lawmaker says the state should consider banning the motorcycles from street use.
A crash on the Capital Beltway Wednesday night killed two people and left 15 others injured. Police say that the accident happened as they were trying to stop one of these speeding motorcycles.

"They are potential death machines in the wrong hands," says Delegate Bill Bronrott of Montgomery County. "I think we should look at the possibility of saying, 'Hey, these are only intended for recreational use and should be used on race courses rather than on public highways."

Bronrott says Maryland State Police are contacting jurisdictions around the country to see how they handle the motorcycles. He says Maryland needs to investigate whether higher penalties would reduce problems associated with the motorcycles and/or whether laws need to be changed.

"It is definitely worth looking into whether or not we should totally ban these from our public roads or not," Bronrott says.

Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the seven-car, chain-reaction crash that closed the Beltway Wednesday night.

It started at about 7 p.m. when a Prince George's County police officer spotted a speeding motorcycle and positioned himself to stop it on the inner loop, police said. The motorcycle rider swerved in front of a civilian car and sped away, causing the officer's car to hit the civilian's.

That car rolled down an embankment onto the outer loop, where five other cars crashed into each other.

Two people in the car that went over the embankment died. Prince George's County Police have identified them as Kevin McCarter, 40, of Ft. Washington, Md. and Sidney Clanton Jr., age unknown, of Buffalo, N.Y.

Two of the injured were police officers. One was flown to a hospital with life-threatening injuries. The other was also hospitalized, but his injuries were not considered life-threatening.

Law enforcement sources tell WTOP the officers involved in the accident had been alerted to a felony in progress, and were given a lookout for the cycle.

Officers are looking for the motorcycle and rider believed to be responsible.

Police say they were chasing a black, high-speed, nimble racing motorcycle.

A video camera in the police cruiser did capture the chase, but police have not provided a more detailed description of the bike, or any license plate information.

The accident and rescue effort caused the highway to be closed in both directions, backing up traffic for miles.

Police are asking anyone with information to call them at 301-772-4710 or 301-731-4422.

(Copyright 2007 WTOP and The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

FORESTVILLE, Md. - Saying that so-called bullet bikes or crotch rockets are "wreaking a tremendous amount of havoc on our roadways," one Maryland lawmaker says the state should consider banning the motorcycles from street use.
A crash on the Capital Beltway Wednesday night killed two people and left 15 others injured. Police say that the accident happened as they were trying to stop one of these speeding motorcycles.

"They are potential death machines in the wrong hands," says Delegate Bill Bronrott of Montgomery County. "I think we should look at the possibility of saying, 'Hey, these are only intended for recreational use and should be used on race courses rather than on public highways."

Bronrott says Maryland

 

"Ghostrider invades America" but seriously ban sportbikes then what ....GUNS! Yeah right!

 

1. I think any rider who tries to evade arrest needs his license revoked for 15 years...if not permanately.

2. 2 killed...and 15 injured due to one car being STRUCK...BY...AN...OFFICER'S...PATROL CAR....NOT A MOTORCYCLE.

This is all political posturing by a lawmaker in a state that should be sold off to France anyway...

 

These are the kind of details that really matter. If they were under the impression it was a felony, that is a little more critical than a mere speeding violation. now, they dont say what the felony was, but the cops had all the right to chase. and this article makes it sound like the rider actually performed wreckless maneuvers which resulted in the accident.

 

I think I was wrong yesterday bmg, maybe you're not blowing things out of proportion. [:@]
I hope that this was misquoted by the AP

 

There are more details than those...RRass...

Haha...what exactly is a "nimble racing motorcycle"?

A Ninja 250...a Buell...a gixxer...?

More people are killed each year as a result of...high speed pursuits...SUV's and cell phone users...and by little old ladies in 1974 Cadillacs than by motorcycles.

 

The officers really had to pursue to best of their ability given the rider Is a danger to society. It is a shame that the accident happened. Maybe somewhere in the details the department can figure out how to how to reduce the chances of this happening again while still protecting the general population.

Sad day all around.

 

Perhaps the Police should use good judgment and call off a chace when it involves a sportbike. The only way they could catch the perp is if he wrecks it, so right there ythe cop is bassicly playin Judge and Jury and sentancing death.

 

i think that they need to stop chasing these people if they get close enogh to get a plate number then back off its not worth risking any ones life unless they are a danger off the bike as well.

but these chases are becoming all to common there has been how many threads about them lattley? and how many more are there that we dont hear about? can u really blame them for wanting to ban motorcycles.

i like how right away you guys try to pin this on the cops. its not the cops fualt if he is followingdeparment policy. its the people who make the laws and policies. and second people shouldnt be running from the cops then there wouldnt be a chase. i think they need to make stricter sentencing for people who run

 

ok correct me if im wrong but this sounds like the officers werent even pursuing the motorcycle yet, rather had been waiting for him to come past and the motorcycle changed lanes and the cop hit a civillian car. why did the officer get so close to the civillian car ? i am in no way condoning what the motorcyclist did but i think better judgement needed to be used by the police officers involved. multiple LEO agencies accross the country have begun to realize that high speed pursuits get people killed (wether its by the suspect,police or etc) in LA during HSP's they will back off and letr air support follow the suspect and then when things are safe then ground crews move in.