The Arizona Republic

Race ends for suspect in motorcycle chases

‘Is there anything I can do, to like lower the sentence?’

- ROBERT GUNDRAN

Noah Ling liked to drive fast, according to the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

The 22-year-old man would repeatedly take his blue Suzuki motorcycle onto Loop 101 and Interstate 17 in Phoenix and hit speeds of more than 100 mph, the DPS alleges in a court document.

And time and time again, DPS troopers were not able to stop him.

That is, until June 21, when the need for speed finally got him arrested after a pursuit by state troopers ended at a Stanley Steemer location in north Phoenix, according to the DPS.

A charging document submitted to the Maricopa County Superior Court by the DPS said Ling had outrun DPS troopers more than once.

“On five occasions, I have attempted to stop the vehicle by activating the emergency lights and siren on my fully marked patrol vehicle, but it (motorcycle) accelerate­s away quickly at speeds over 100 mph,” the arresting DPS trooper wrote in the document.

The court document says the DPS worked with the Arizona Department of Transporta­tion to track the motorcycle’s path using freeway cameras. Officials used this informatio­n to set up several marked and unmarked police cars along areas they believed Ling would follow on those freeways June 21, the court docu-

ment says.

When the blue Suzuki flew by at more than 100 mph just before 7 a.m., DPS troopers attempted to stop it, but to no avail.

A DPS helicopter followed the motorcycle as it went off the freeway and stopped at a Stanley Steemer near 19th Avenue and Pinnacle Peak Road, where Ling worked, the court document said.

Ling jumped off his bike and went inside the building. Officers followed him and found him inside a bathroom, the court document said.

He was arrested on suspicion of unlawful flight from law enforcemen­t and endangerme­nt, the court document said.

At his initial court appearance on Thursday, Ling asked the judge a question:

“Is there anything else I can do, to like lower the sentence down or anything?” he said.

“Based on what I read in the Form IV, you’re lucky I didn’t give you a higher bond,” said the judge.

Ling’s bond was set at $5,000 and his next court appearance is June 29.

 ??  ?? Noah Ling
Noah Ling

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