A motorcycle rider who attempted to flee law enforcement made the already dangerous decision to do so while carrying a passenger on the bike, creating a situation that the pursuing officers described as one of the most reckless they had encountered given the additional person whose life was being endangered without their meaningful consent. Police pursuit of motorcycles is already among the most fraught categories of law enforcement activity, and the presence of a second person on the fleeing bike added a layer of concern that influenced the tactical decisions officers made during the pursuit. The attempt to flee was ultimately unsuccessful.
Passengers on motorcycles in these situations are placed in an extraordinarily vulnerable position, as they are unable to control the outcome of a situation not of their making while being physically exposed to whatever consequences the rider’s decision brings. Whether the passenger in this case was a willing participant in the flight or was placed in the situation involuntarily is a question that affected the charges ultimately filed. The rider faces the full range of charges associated with the flight attempt, and the passenger’s circumstances are being handled separately depending on the specific facts of their involvement.
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