State Trooper in Unmarked Car Arrests Motorcyclist For Riding at 125 MPH

Sean Swisher's unmarked police Camaro in action a few months ago along Interstate 5 Photo By: Tim King

(SALEM) - An Aurora man was arrested Tuesday morning north of Salem on Interstate 5 after an Oregon State Police (OSP) trooper in an unmarked patrol car says he observed him operating his motorcycle in a reckless manner at speeds in excess of 125 mph. This was the third driver arrested by the trooper using the unmarked patrol car during the last week driving 115-mph or faster. OSP Trooper Sean Swisher was patrolling southbound on Interstate 5 near Woodburn Tuesday around 9:20 AM when he spotted a 2003 Suzuki SV1000 motorcycle approaching from behind at a high rate of speed. After the motorcycle passed the unmarked OSP Chevrolet Camaro ADEP patrol vehicle, Trooper Swisher allegedly paced it at speeds in excess of 125 mph. During the pace, the motorcycle operator used all three southbound lanes to pass traffic as well as splitting traffic using the centerline between traffic lanes. Trooper Swisher stopped the motorcycle near milepost 265 and contacted the operator identified as 27-year old Jake B. Barnes of Aurora. Barnes was taken into custody for Reckless Driving and cited for Exceeding the Speed Limit in Excess of 100 mph. After being transported to Marion County Jail for booking, he was cited and released to appear in Marion County Circuit Court. Trooper Swisher estimates he stops 8 - 10 drivers per month using the unmarked ADEP patrol car for traveling in excess of 100 mph. This was the third incident during the last week stopped by Trooper Swisher for traveling in excess of 100 mph.