High Speed Pursuit Along the Avenue Had to Be Abandoned for Safety Reasons Today

High speed pursuit

[Original photo by Oliver Cory]

Wondering what the commotion was in Myers Flat a little after 4 p.m.?

A traffic violation by a motorcycle rider led Lt. Ken Swithenbank of the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office to attempt to pull over the driver a little after 4 p.m. The motorcyclist pulled down into Myers Flat followed by Swithenbank with his lights flashing.

The motorcyclist fled southbound on the Avenue. Swithenbank followed. The cyclist threw a plastic bottle containing a purple drink that struck the Sheriff’s vehicle. The liquid splashed over the windshield.

The motorcyclist continued at an unsafe speed and there was a large number of other vehicles on the Avenue, according to Swithenbank so he abandoned pursuit for safety reasons.

The pursuit was briefly re-instigated in Miranda after the motorcyclist was spotted there. But again had to be abandoned for safety reasons.

However, the license plate number of the offender was recorded.

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24 Comments
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Cowabunga
Guest
Cowabunga
6 years ago

Glad they were able to get the plate number. Hope they are able to safely apprehend this rider.

Victor G. Flashman
Guest
Victor G. Flashman
6 years ago
Reply to  Cowabunga

Bust all the idiots! Bikers without mufflers = person with no brain function left.

Speeding motorcycles endanger everyone.

No jail sentence is long enough for persons who run from cops and risk everyone’s safety.

Dukes of Humboldt
Guest
Dukes of Humboldt
6 years ago

Just the Good Oldboy,
The Dukes of Humboldt County!

Dukes of Humboldt
Guest
Dukes of Humboldt
6 years ago

Glad he got away rather than the deputy chasing the motorcyclist and killing the biker as they LOVE to do!

Roscoe P Coltrane
Guest
Roscoe P Coltrane
6 years ago

Really? How many times did this happen?

Triniboldticino
Guest
Triniboldticino
6 years ago

A LOT, and the U.S. Supreme Court said it was O.K. years ago. With P.C. for things as small as traffic violations.

Poppins
Guest
Poppins
6 years ago

Ass hat rider. Prudent to stop the chase for both citizen and LEO safety.

Bozo the Clone
Guest
Bozo the Clone
6 years ago

There are a good(bad?) number of numb skulls that live in Myers Flat , Miranda, and in the whole of Humboldt that give not a whit about the folks that live around them.
They apparently think that everyone likes hearing deafeningly loud mufflers and blasting by in their grow dozers or motorcycles. They actually use Myers Avenue as a drag strip to see if they can get to 70 mph before they reach the end. There is a guy who rides an orange rice rocket through Miranda at about 60 mph and then accelerates as he passes South Fork HS towards Myers Flat. He can be heard coming from two miles up the Avenue and for miles toward Myers Flyers as the sound reverberates through the Redwoods. Very few sentient creatures like this assault on their sense of well being. Yes, I am saying that people who like this, are not sentient creatures.
I experienced the troglodyte being pursued today, just as I passed Eel Rock Road on the Avenue heading to Myers Flat. I had just passed the area where the bridge has just been widened and where there are several large pullouts for tourists to stop and enjoy the natural beauty of Southern Humboldt’s redwood forests. There were two families out of their vehicles close to the edge of the road taking pictures and peering up to the tops of the trees. Then here comes …..–#$% on his motorcycle at a tremendous rate of speed…I flashed my lights at him and cursed….but he still did not slow down!!!?? hah… then I saw the SO deputy (is a Lt. considered to be a deputy?) in hot pursuit …lights flashing and siren blaring. I was
really hoping the guy would get caught, but realized that the SO deputy could NOT
safely catch this guy. There are just too many people on the Avenue this time of year. Local yahoos take NO consideration of this fact and blast through at high speeds no matter what the conditions. I have helped peel a fair number of these idiots off of the redwoods over the years. One guy (on a Harley) took a curve too
fast, hit the bank and flew more than twenty feet and smacked into a large redwood about six feet from the ground (that was about fifteen feet from the road surface). Unfortunately he only broke his femur and his wrist and not his head.
I wonder if he drives any slower now? I no longer have any compassion for these people who threaten my life and the life of my friends and neighbors. It is the same as someone aiming a gun at me when someone is speeding, driving recklessly, or reading, texting, talking or dialing their cell phones. I actually hope they win their Darwin Award without taking anyone else out.

Ninja
Guest
Ninja
6 years ago
Reply to  Bozo the Clone

You are a bit self righteous, but I agree with your depictions of some of the bad driving habits here in Miranda. Especially some motorcyclists.

You lost me when you expressed that it was unfortunate that a Harley rider’s only injuries after an accident was that he “only broke his femur and his wrist and not his head.” Totally inappropriate to judge and wish injury on people. No, it is not the same as someone “aiming a gun at [you]”. Maybe if that actually happens to you, you will appreciate the difference.

Veterans friend
Guest
Veterans friend
6 years ago
Reply to  Bozo the Clone

I was also right there at that exact moment. You are completely full of shit. The bike was going about 40mph. (Speed limit there is 55) and was not doing anything dangerous except running from the cop. You are just jealous cause you will never have that much fun.

Devils Lettuce Crimes
Guest
Devils Lettuce Crimes
6 years ago

Probably a lettuce head who forgot his lettuce was legal now. Smoking that stuff will make you stupid like that. Lucky that nobody got killed by the addict. This time.

Ninja
Guest
Ninja
6 years ago

Why don’t you get a life and shut up? Addict? Where do you get your info? I really don’t want to know. That was a rhetorical question. This is a quality website and I don’t appreciate having to read through you and the other troll’s posts. Please go away.

Bilbo baggins
Guest
Bilbo baggins
6 years ago

Wannabe c.h.u.m.p.

Buzzards nest
Guest
Buzzards nest
6 years ago
Reply to  Bilbo baggins

Team chump! Team chump! Team chump!

shawn the fisherman
Guest
shawn the fisherman
6 years ago

Only 14 percent of people become mentally addicted to weed. No physical addiction, Does not exist. Gotta be pretty weak minded to be hooked on herb. More likely he is addicted to alcohol btw. Funny how people who usually hate herb are the people who drink alcohol. Makes them feel better to make weed out to be worse then booze. Accept you have a problem, Thats the first step. Life is fun without booze Devils lettuce crimes.

Yeeeee Hawww
Guest
Yeeeee Hawww
6 years ago

Just the Good Old Boys,younger than the Mountain been in trouble with the law since the day they were born, Makin a way, the only way they know how, now that just a little bit more than uptight laws will allow…..

Over grow the Government
Guest
Over grow the Government
6 years ago

Hope they get away everytime! Long live the wild, wild west!
Overgrown ’em everytime,
Be a Patriot and Plant Cannabis Seeds Everywhere, throw some here and some there, grow so much that the Sheriff can’t keep up! Overgrow HCSO! Long Live the Wild West!

G-MAS
Guest
G-MAS
6 years ago

You can run,but you can’t Hide!!

Veterans friend
Guest
Veterans friend
6 years ago

It was not about safety. I saw it, then went home and listened to the whole thing on the scanner. They lost the guy, plain & simple. Drove around for 45 minutes looking for him. As far south as Sylvandale.

Bilbo baggins
Guest
Bilbo baggins
6 years ago

Maybe he was carrying drugs, would probably be a lesser charge to evade the cops than to be caught with pounds of meth or heroin.

Covelo or busted
Guest
Covelo or busted
6 years ago

Thanks for keeping the peoples safety in mind,This is the kind of sheriff i respect.Level headed .

Cletus
Guest
Cletus
6 years ago

What will the charge be for throwing the bottle of purple liquid at the peace officer? Hopefully they’ll tack on attempted murder.

SoHum Local
Guest
SoHum Local
6 years ago

I don’t think flying through Miranda at 80+ mph in broad daylight with children around riding bikes is justified to catch one shithead on a bike. So dangerous!! Bored on a Weds afternoon. Granted they had lights and sirens, but they had no idea where he went. They flew by twice and flipped bitch and flew down Salmon Creek putting residents at risk. They NEED to slow down through town. There was no direct threat to anyone except traffic and pedestrians from them.

shawn the fisherman
Guest
shawn the fisherman
6 years ago

I did not realize how much crime is going on down at the Avenue.. Good to know, Always be prepared. Really kinda sucks I love that area, Richardsons grove and what not.