CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — A motorcycle rider led Chillicothe police on a high-speed chase through city streets and onto US Route 50 Saturday afternoon, reaching speeds in excess of 120 mph before officers terminated the pursuit. The rider’s identity remains unknown.
The incident began near South Watt Street and East Main Street when an officer observed a rider on an orange sports-style motorcycle perform a wheelie maneuver.
When officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop, the rider spotted the cruiser and accelerated, turning east onto Jefferson Avenue and then south onto Douglas Avenue, where a second officer attempted to intercept. The rider cut through a parking lot, went around the second cruiser, and re-entered the roadway heading east.
The pursuit, according to officers, continued onto US Route 50, where the motorcycle reached speeds exceeding 120 mph.
Due to the increasingly dangerous driving and the distance the rider was gaining, officers made the decision to terminate the pursuit.
The rider was described as wearing a dark jacket, dark pants, dark boots, and either a faded black or dark green helmet and carrying a large dark backpack. The motorcycle’s rear wheel was painted orange.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol was notified and given the description. As of this reporting, the case remains under investigation.