BUNNELL, Fla. (CBS12) — A Florida man accused of fleeing deputies on a battered motorcycle didn’t get far, topping out at just 15 mph before his getaway came to an abrupt end.
According to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, the incident unfolded around 2:23 a.m. Friday, a deputy spotted a blue motorcycle traveling without lights or a license plate.
Deputies said they heard the motorcycle before they saw it, thanks to loud, unmuffled backfiring.
Authorities described the motorcycle as a heavily worn “parts bike” that sounded more like a weed eater than a high-performance motorcycle.
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When the deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop, the motorcyclist, later identified as 33-year-old Brian Swartz of Bunnell, allegedly refused to pull over and instead slowly rode away at 15 mph.
After an anything but high-speed pursuit, deputies cornered Swartz and placed him in custody.
Deputies subsequently booked Swartz into jail for counts of operating a motorcycle without a license and fleeing with disregard for safety. Records show he was previously booked for street racing in January.
The sheriff’s office used the incident as an opportunity to remind residents that attempting to flee from law enforcement rarely ends well.