Motorcyclist Clocked at 125mph Crashes; Arrested for Reckless Driving

Source: Marion Co. Sheriff's Office

(SALEM, Ore.) - A 19-year old Tualatin man narrowly escaped injury or possibly death following a high-speed crash on Interstate 5 this afternoon.

Dustin Pitzer, 19, was riding his 2004 Yamaha R6L motorcycle southbound on Interstate 5 approaching Portland Road at the same time Deputy Jeff Nicoloff of the Marion County Sheriff's Office was entering the freeway from Portland Road in his unmarked Ford Mustang. The time was 12:55pm.

Deputy Nicoloff serves on the Traffic Safety Team and is designated as one of the Aggressive Driver Enforcement deputies. Nicoloff saw the motorcycle approaching at a high rate of speed so he activated his radar to clock it at 112 miles per hour. He accelerated and turned on his emergency lights, but the motorcycle actually sped up instead of stopping. During the next two miles, the motorcycle weaved from lane to lane and even drove for a period of time on the shoulder of the road to avoid being stopped.

Pitzer was clocked at 125 miles per hour during this time. The deputy was able to record the license number of the motorcycle, but due to the recklessness of Pitzer's driving and the dangers to which he exposed other drivers, Nicoloff terminated the pursuit.

A radio alert was issued to other deputies and the Oregon State Police.

Several minutes later, Nicoloff was exiting the freeway at Mission Street when he observed some commotion in the median area of the off ramp. He quickly determined that the motorcycle he had been chasing had crashed, and that Pitzer was being detained by several witnesses after trying to get away on foot.

Further investigation revealed that Pitzer tried to leave the freeway at exit 253, but his speed prevented him from negotiating the bend in the off ramp. The cycle left the roadway and travelled for 450 feet, ejecting Pitzer as it continued south on the median grass. The driverless motorcycle then crashed into the front of a 1995 Kia as it circled the clover-leaf on ramp from westbound Mission Street to southbound Interstate 5. The driver of that vehicle, Joshua Caudle, 22 of Eugene, was not injured in the crash.

To the amazement of everyone, Pitzer was also uninjured. He explained to Deputy Nicoloff that he fled because he didn't want to get another ticket. He was booked at the Marion County Jail on charges of reckless driving, attempt to elude, hit & run, driving without insurance and failing to have a motorcycle endorsement on his license. Additionally, he was cited for unsafe lane changes and excessive speed; 125 in a 65 mph zone.

Photo: Wrecked 2004 Yamaha | Trail left by Motorcycle Crash