TAMPA, Fla. — A Florida man was arrested early Sunday morning for fleeing troopers on a motorcycle, according to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP).
At about 12:16 a.m. Sunday, an officer noticed a red motorcycle with a fake tag "Mclovin" driving at high speed and swerving between vehicles.
The officer determined the motorcycle was traveling 110 mph in a posted 45 mph zone.
While behind the motorcycle, the officer observed a marked St. Petersburg Police Department patrol car attempting to conduct a traffic stop and then canceled.
The officer then saw an unmarked Pinellas County Sheriff's Office patrol car attempt a traffic stop on the motorcycle before it fled.
The officer continued to follow the motorcycle from a distance across the Gandy Bridge as it was driving approximately 15 mph over the posted speed limit.
The motorcyclist, later identified as 30-year-old Jessie Rivera from Tampa, then exited the highway and turned north on 22nd Street and east onto SR-60 before stopping at the intersection of SR-60 and 50th Street.
Rivera attempted to take off again but ended up slipping a gear and killing the engine. He struggled and attempted to turn the motorcycle back on and get it back into gear.
Rivera then began to back up the motorcycle in an attempt to go around the patrol car that was placed in front of him to block his escape.
As he was backing up, the officer grabbed him and pulled him off the motorcycle to the right side to the ground, where the motorcycle fell onto both of them.
The impact caused Rivera to break his foot.
Rivera was arrested and booked at the Hillsborough County Jail after being treated at a local hospital.
