Motorcyclist dies trying to flee police on Central
A man who was reportedly fleeing from police on a motorcycle without a license plate crashed into a family’s SUV, dying instantly, on Central and Wyoming on Wednesday afternoon. The family was not hurt. Simon Drobik, a spokesman with the Albuquerque Police Department, said an officer first spotted the man and the motorcycle several blocks away on Zuni SE around 12:45 p.m. and were about to try to make a traffic stop when he fled.
“There was no pursuit at all, no lights and sirens used, no traffic stop initiated at all,” Drobik said. “There was eye contact made, (the officer) was trying to call out that he was trying to make a car stop, and the guy just took off.”
He said about a minute later the motorcyclist crashed into the back of a Santa Fe family’s SUV. He was not wearing a helmet and
suffered severe brain and head injuries.
Drobik said officers came upon the gruesome scene about 20 seconds later.
“Unfortunately, this guy chose to flee, drive up Central at a high rate of speed and it cost him his life,” he said.
He said internal affairs personnel were called to the scene but witnesses and officers said police were not chasing the man when he crashed.
“We’ll get video corroborating evidence up Central,” Drobik said.
Bystanders and people waiting for the bus gathered to watch as crime scene investigators examined evidence around the crashed motorcycle and the man’s body — which lay on the pavement, partially shielded from view, for several hours.
Drobik said investigators had not identified the man yet. He said they also hadn’t determined if the motorcycle was stolen.
Jolene Romero said she had just gotten off the bus and was walking home when she saw the motorcycle speed past. She said she yelled at him to slow down as he weaved in and out of the lanes.
“Oh God, please God slow down,” Romero said, remembering the scene. “Please Jesus let him slow down. And not even 20 seconds later …”