A Florida motorcyclist who taunted police during a high-speed chase was hit by a truck shortly after.
Joshua Richardson, 20, was part of a group of cyclists doing stunts that decided to flee officers when they attempted a traffic stop on a local highway in the east central county of Volusia Saturday evening.
According to a post by the Volusia Sheriff’s Office on Facebook, the group accelerated, “fled at high speed and continued driving recklessly, passing vehicles across solid double lines.”
The riders then led officers on a chase, which included blowing through a red light.
During this maneuver, “One of them took the opportunity to look back and flip off the deputies behind him,” authorities noted, “after which he entered the intersection directly into the path of an oncoming truck.”
The post included video of the incident, including Richardson’s fleeting gesture. “Here’s a good way to get yourself killed,” the sheriff’s office wrote in their post.
Police were able to apprehend Richardson, who attempted to run away from the scene after the crash. Upon being thrown to the ground, he cried out and cursed in apparent pain, telling officers his leg was injured, all of which was caught on police bodycam footage.
“Idiot,” one officer called him.
“I know,” Richardson admitted.
“You know how your leg doesn’t get hurt?” another officer asked. “You don’t run from the cops and crash your bike.”
Richardson was charged with fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement, resisting without violence and leaving the scene of a crash. He also received traffic citations for failure to stop at a red light and passing in a no-passing zone.
It is unclear whether Richardson has retained an attorney to comment on his behalf.
The sheriff’s office noted in their post that Richardson was taken to the hospital, but did not comment on his condition, nor report whether anyone else was injured in the incident. The truck driver was not identified.
Source: people