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Motorcyclist critically injured in high speed chase with Walton deputies
A 21-year-old Fort Walton Beach man was taken by air ambulance after he rear-ended a Chevy van during a high speed chase with Walton County deputies.
Michael Davis was attempting to elude authorities in the eastbound lane of U.S. Highway 98 around 11 a.m. Saturday, according to Corp. S. Fisher, of the Florida Highway Patrol.
Davis struck the right rear corner of a van driven by Christopher Sunga, 29, of Williamsburg, N.Y., at Doodles Forrest Road, east of U.S. Highway 331. Davis was traveling at a high rate of speed when he encountered the slower moving Sunga vehicle and a third vehicle also eastbound in the lane next to Sunga. Davis failed to slow his motorcycle in order to avoid crashing into the van.
Davis was ejected from his motorcycle upon impact and was thrown into the right rear corner of the van.
The motorcycle overturned onto its side and slid to the northeast onto the grass shoulder, where it went into a ditch and began to tumble. It rolled out of the ditch, and vaulted a low-lying area before eventually coming to rest in the woods, south of US. 98, on its left side and facing to the north.
The Sunga vehicle stopped in the grassy median, and while none of the four people in the vehicle were injured, FHP placed estimate damages at approximately $5,000.
Davis was taken to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola in critical condition.
The FHP report gave no indication as to why deputies were pursuing Davis.
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| Do sirens being on or off determine if it's hot pursuit? Seems to me SPEED is a much better determiner.
Also,
This youngster DID NOT make his bed. There is NO REASON the police need to pursue once it's clear he's taking off rather than pulling over.
The police have radio's they can use, along with their extensive data bases.
They could simply wait for him at his front door step - in this case the youngster is military stationed in Florida, he's not hard to find.
Choosing to pursue is a grave mistake - we know through statistics that high speed chases typically end in a wreck. All too often these wrecks involve folks that weren't even involved.
It's safe to say that youngsters tend to make less than good choices. Running from the police is obviously not a good choice.
Choosing to pursue, thus upping the ante and creating a high probability of a tragic outcome is even a worse choice - not a choice that is consistent with protecting the public. The tools available to a trained, well funded, professional, and public agency are there - there is NO REASON to rely on the gas pedal. |
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| MisterSquanky - Aug 18, 2008 07:04:33 PM | Remove Comment |
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| We were listening on scanner when this started. Drivers on 331 north of Freeport called it in because he was passing recklessly and forcing cars to avoid him. He flew passed a Walton Sheriff on the 331 bridge at 100. FHP might not have known the reason for the chase but Walton County sure did. There was no hot pursuit, they all kept sirens off.
Motorcyclist blew his doors off according to one radio comment by Sheriff. Justifiable chase, regrettable finale, but he made his bed. |
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| RLEsGal - Aug 17, 2008 08:29:44 AM | Remove Comment |
