Here’s an unusual bike story that just landed in my inbox from the Oregon State Police.
“The incident happened Wednesday, October 1st, in Salem at about 1:00 p.m. when OSP Trooper Perry Rhoades was patrolling the Capitol Mall area on a bicycle and spotted a 1997 Ford four-door drive recklessly near the State Capitol building nearly striking pedestrians in a crosswalk on Court Street near Winter Street.
Trooper Rhoades caught up with the car and made several attempts to get the driver to stop, including riding alongside the driver’s door and ordering the female driver to stop. The driver, identified as SUZANNE L. FUTRELL, age 44, from Dallas, refused to stop and yelled through her rolled up window she didn’t do anything wrong.
FUTRELL allegedly continued driving in a reckless manner including driving through a red light as Trooper Rhoades continued to try and get her to stop as speeds were estimated about 25 mph.
Several people in the area saw and heard the trooper’s attempts to get the car stopped, including a man on a bicycle who joined in to help. OSP Superintendent Tim McLain and Captain Gerry Gregg were in an unmarked patrol car in the area, helping get the car stopped in a downtown Salem parking lot on Liberty Street near Marion Street about six blocks from where the incident began.
FUTRELL was taken into custody without further incident. A search of the car led to the discovery of less than an ounce of marijuana and several medications. FUTRELL was transported to Marion County Jail for booking on the following charges:
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Reckless Driving
Felony Attempt to Elude in a Vehicle
Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance
Possession of less than an Ounce of Marijuana