Gaston, SC (Paul Kirby) – Gaston police officers are looking for a motorcyclist who led then on a pursuit Sunday evening. According to Major Stephen Watkins, spokesman for the department, the rider used the woods to lose officers who were attempting to stop him.
The pursuit was initiated by the rider after he failed to stop for blue lights near Busbee Road and the railroad tracks just off Hwy. 321 south. He had been riding in the gravel of the tracks’ bed before hitting the pavement at Busbee Road and turning back toward the highway. Eventually the fleeing rider, which wasn’t what one would describe as high-speed for the most part, led the officers over to Gator Road and Treemont Lane between Gaston and South Congaree. That’s when the rider decided to take to the woods where a cruiser couldn’t go.
Officers from South Congaree, Springdale, and Lexington County all assisted in the search for the rider in the area. Watkins said the pursuit could probably have been ended by officers much sooner, but for the safety of the rider, police officers don’t normally use tire deflation devices or Pursuit Intervention Techniques on motorcycles.
Watkins described the motorcycle as a sport bike and its rider as a young white male with khaki shorts and a backpack. The department may have a more detailed description once dashcam footage has been reviewed.
If you have any information about the motorcycle or its rider, please call Gaston PD’s dispatch at (803) 785-2521. You can also make tips through CRIME STOPPERS at 1-888-CRIME SC or through their website at www.midlandscrimestoppers.com.
