A Kent man who taunted police while riding a dirt bike without lights or a helmet was tracked home and arrested with the help of a King County Sheriff’s Office helicopter, according to Kent Police.
Police said the incident began around 8:56 p.m. last week when Sgt. Clay saw the rider heading the opposite direction on Kent Kangley Road.
According to police, the motorbike had no headlight, taillights, or turn signals, making it unsafe and not street legal.
The rider also wasn’t wearing a helmet.
Sgt. Clay turned around to follow, planning to catch up in a spot where traffic would make it harder for the rider to escape.
But when he closed the distance, the motorcyclist began taking selfies with the patrol car behind him.
Moments later, the rider sped off and refused to stop.
Kent Police said officers generally avoid pursuing motorcycles because of safety risks.
In this case, the King County Sheriff’s Office Air Support helicopter Guardian 1 was already monitoring the call and offered to follow the rider from above.
Additional Kent officers pulled over nearby to wait for updates from the helicopter.
Instead of leaving the area, police said the man returned and began circling patrol cars, riding on sidewalks and shoulders, and performing wheelies in an attempt to bait officers into a chase.
Unaware the helicopter was tracking him, the rider continued his reckless maneuvers for some time.
Officers said the man had earplugs in and could not hear the aircraft overhead.
Eventually, he returned home and pulled into his driveway. When he removed his earplugs, he looked up and saw the helicopter hovering over his house, according to police.
Guardian 1 relayed the address to officers, who moved in as the rider tried to put his bike away.
Police said the 26-year-old attempted to escape by running out the back door and jumping a fence, but his movements were guided to officers on the ground, who arrested him without incident.
The motorbike was retrieved from the garage with the resident’s permission and impounded.
Investigators also seized the rider’s cellphone, which contained videos, pending a search warrant.
Kent Police said the man faces charges of attempting to elude a police vehicle, reckless driving, and driving with a suspended license in the third degree.