High-Speed Motorcycle Chase Leads to Man's Arrest in Salem

(SALEM, Ore.) - A Salem man was cited and released Friday afternoon following what police say were two separate attempts to elude an Oregon State Police captain in the Salem area.

Lieutenant Gregg Hastings with OSP says a citizen helped troopers locate the suspect after following him to his residence where he attempted to hide his motorcycle and avoid capture.

Friday at approximately 4:20 PM, OSP Captain Calvin Curths was in an unmarked patrol vehicle northbound on Interstate 5 approaching Salem when a silver 2008 Yamaha motorcycle drove past at a high rate of speed, Hastings said.

"Captain Curths attempted to stop it and it sped up to speeds in excess of 110 mph until exiting at Commercial Street where he went out of sight."

Hastings said Curths spotted it shortly thereafter at a stop light and tried a second time to stop it but it sped off and eluded again.

Reports indicate that an unnamed citizen followed the motorcycle after it eluded the captain to a residence and called 9-1-1. Salem police responded to an address on Crowley Avenue and notified OSP.

The motorcycle rider, identified as 21-year old Jordan Anthony Leon of Salem, allegedly hid the motorcycle in the garage.

Captain Curths and other officers from OSP and Salem PD responded to the house and arrested Leon for Reckless Driving, Felony Attempt to Elude on a Vehicle, and Exceeding the Posted Speed Limit to wit: 110 mph in a 65 mph speed zone. He was cited and released to appear in Marion County Circuit Court.

Drivers need to remember that unmarked police cars are not always police, sometimes they are criminal imposters. This case is different; but all drivers, particularly women, should use great caution and only pull over for an unmarked car with lights in a lighted, public place.

The practice of using unmarked cars presents many problems, and as this case shows, the hidden police vehicles do little in the way of impacting the speed of drivers who always slow down when a marked police car comes into view.

It is a clear choice of police agencies to either prevent a crime from taking place at all, or to lay in wait for a good, honest citizen to make a mistake and pounce on them as they "catch them in the act."

Salem-News.com Top Stories

No One Owns the Future

The Ugly Origins of Trump's America First Policy

A One-State Solution Could Transform the World

rewilding LA: Matilija Dam History and Ecosystems

One Killed and Two Injured in Shooting Near South Salem High School

Comments Leave a comment on this story.

All comments and messages are approved by people and self promotional links or unacceptable comments are denied.

Anne June 2, 2008 1:00 pm (Pacific time)

Yes Tim, I understand that this is a hot button issue for you but the point was it doesn't belong in this news item, and you've acknowledged that. But now that we're on the subject, I'm curious, what kind of numbers does "so many" cases of imposters amount to? Of course those situations are horrible, but fake unmarked cars are not the first, last or only means by which criminals will impersonate officials in order to take advantage of folks. And as for "It is also ridiculous for a nation to sell products that go so fast and allow nowhere for a person to use them." Oh please. There are thousands of various products that require a little sense and retraint in use in order to not be dangerous. And a country road isn't the safe place for this sort of speed either. It's called a track, and they're available all around the nation.

James June 2, 2008 12:26 pm (Pacific time)

Do you honsestly think an Oregon State Police Captain was out in an unmarked vehicle looking for traffic violations. This is a pretty clear cut case of a Police Administrator going about his normal day and only deciding to take action on a radical violation. Nothing sneaky or underhanded here, just that the guy sped past the wrong car and got busted.

Tim King June 1, 2008 9:51 pm (Pacific time)

Anne: OK, I understand what you are saying and maybe this overall point should have been incorporated into another story. But I have several friends who are police officers and they will tell you that this unmarked car thing is something I always press my point about. I have written about it numerous times here as well.

I do not believe that there is anything that the police accomplish with unmarked cars that is worth the risk they pose on society. Not one woman who has disappeared on the side of the road was worth it. Seriously, I have done a lot of research on this and there are so many documented cases of imposters who pull people over with a "starsky and Hutch" light. If police only pulled people over in marked cars with lights ON THE ROOF then they would not set the criminals up the way they do.

It is also ridiculous for a nation to sell products that go so fast and allow nowhere for a person to use them. If there is a safe place to open a vehicle up, it can under the right conditions, be a country road. I am not suggesting that this person was not in the wrong; I suppose he very much was. I just don't like to see unmarked cars get praised like heroes when they are sneaky and wrong and anything but transparent police work.

Anon June 1, 2008 9:20 pm (Pacific time)

Everything after "Drivers need to remember that unmarked police cars are not always police," should not be part of this story. What does that have anything to do with this story? The Article suddenly changed topics for no apparent reason.

Anne June 1, 2008 8:52 pm (Pacific time)

Is this a news story or an op-ed? Lay in wait and catch honest citizens just making a mistake? I guess this reckless nitwit who put everyone else on the road, and particularly himself as a vulnerable rider, was just in the wrong place at the wrong time? Personally I'm glad that he wasn't able to spot a marked vehicle and tuck it in, this unmarked car served its purpose and hopefully has prevented at least one inconsiderate and dangerous driver from putting the rest of us at risk again.

[Return to Top]