Police Chase Lands 19-Year Old Suspect From Eugene in Salem Jail

The motorcyclist passed an unmarked police car.

Image courtesy: danddexhaust.com

(SALEM, Ore.) - A 19-year old Eugene resident was cited for Reckless Driving and Felony Attempt to Elude Monday night following an incident four hours earlier in the Salem area that a state trooper says reached speeds near 150 mph.

Troopers say they tracked the motorcycle down and found it concealed behind a resident in Eugene Monday night.

Monday at approximately 6:48 PM, OSP Captain Calvin Curths was southbound in a construction work zone on Interstate 5 near Keubler Boulevard when a 2006 Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle approached fast from behind and went past the OSP unmarked car.

OSP Captain Curths says he noted the motorcycle license plate and attempted to stop it after pacing it at 72 mph in the 50 mph reduced construction zone speed area.

The motorcycle operator accelerated quickly to speeds near 100 mph as the OSP captain attempted to stop it. During the next two miles, Curths says the motorcycle sped up to an estimated 150 mph and passed at least one vehicle using the inside median shoulder before it went out of sight and the attempt to stop it was terminated.

Follow up investigation based upon the license plates information was conducted by OSP troopers in Portland and Springfield area. This led troopers to a residence on Country Lane in Eugene.

At approximately 10:20 PM an OSP trooper found the motorcycle hidden behind the residence and identified the driver as 19-year old Ryan N. Lewis of Eugene. Lewis was cited to appear in Marion County Circuit Court for Reckless Driving and Felony Eluding an Officer.