Bike chase leads to arrest, crash in town
A Missouri man faces a variety of state and local charges following a pursuit by authorities Saturday morning that ended when a police cruiser collided with the motorcycle at the intersection of Main and Bellville streets in Marion.
The biker, Wyatt Alan Bohmont, 23, of Sparta, Mo., was in the area attending the Little Sturgis Rally in Union County. Bohmont was originally stopped at an unrelated accident scene near Rosebud Hill on U.S. 60 East in rural Crittenden County where he allegedly disregarded traffic control by State Trooper Michael Ray. Ray got the biker stopped at Rosebud and asked for his license. After Bohmont gave Ray his license, he took off and the trooper gave chase.
State Police pursued Bohmont and a Marion police officer, Ray O'Neal, joined the chase once the biker was inside the city limits. Near the intersection of Main and Bellville, the biker and police cruiser collided. The biker tried to go onto the curb, around traffic stopped at the red light on North Main, and lost control of his BMW motorcycle. Meanwhile, the police cruiser went into the oncoming lane to go around traffic at the intersection. In the middle of the street, the cruiser and bike collided again, sending Bohmont scooting across the pavement and underneath the police cruiser, according to eye-witnesses. The biker then jumped up and fled on foot, but was quickly apprehended by O'Neal on the sidewalk in front of Gilbert Funeral Home.
About the time O'Neal had Bohmont stopped, the state trooper showed up and handcuffed the suspect while he was lying on the ground.
Bohmont had a backpack on his back in which police found methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, alleged burglary tools, mace, a straight razor and a switch-blade knife. Police say that Bohmont is wanted on probation violation in Missouri. His driver's license was suspended or revoked and he did not have a license to operate a motorcycle.
The suspect was taken to Crittenden Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. He was treated, released and lodged in Crittenden County Jail. He was to be arraigned Wednesday morning in Crittenden District Court.
City makes changes to go-ped laws
Despite some opposition and a somewhat split council, the City of Marion has strengthened its ordinance against scooters, go-peds and other motorized, skateboard-type equipment.
The issue was explained, discussed and debated for more than one and a half hours Monday night during the regular city council meeting. Following the talks, council members voted 4-2 to approve new, tighter restrictions on the mostly children's vehicle that City Attorney Bart Frazer described as a "skateboard with a Weedeater engine and handle bars."
State Trooper Brent White testified before the council about the problems encountered in and around the city from youngsters riding the bikes in an inappropriate manner and place.
"Safety is the biggest issue," White told the council. "I'm not against scooters, I want to make that clear. I just know what will happen when one of these scooters meets a two-ton car."
White said unlicensed youngsters on scooters have no training and basically no business driving on public roads or on sidewalks.
Police Chief Kenneth Winn agreed that kids on the motorized skateboards have been witnessed darting in and out of traffic, going the wrong way on streets and creating problems with pedestrians on sidewalks in town.
Dan Fornear, who owns Electric Recreation, a Marion business that sells electric-powered scooters and bicycles, argued that his products are simply "modern bicycles" that are no more dangerous than a traditional pedal model.
"And how many kids are you talking about who are causing the problem?" Fornear asked.
Police said about four or five particular drivers have created the majority of the complaints in town. Fornear suggested singling them out and punishing them.
Chief Winn said his officers will have broad discretion with the new ordinance language which prohibits unlicensed drivers from operating the scooters or go-peds in public places, including parking lots and even at City-County Park unless a place is specifically designated.
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Sturgis Rally dreas 24,500, one killed on highway
A Tennessee man on his way to the Little Sturgis motorcycle rally died after being hit by a truck. Kentucky State Police said Sammy R. Hood, 36, of Knoxville, Tenn., got out of his car and was trying to cross U.S. 60 near the entrance to the Little Sturgis Rally Thursday night about 9:20 p.m. He stepped into the path of a pickup truck driven by Ronald K. Godbehere, 46, of Sturgis, state police said. Hood was pronounced dead at Deaconess Hospital in Evansville, Ind., at 12:27 a.m. Friday.
In 1993, the very first Little Sturgis Rally drew just over 2,000 bike enthusiasts. Last weekend, the 11th annual event hosted 24,500, the largest crowd ever. It eclipsed last year's attendance by about 3,000. The event pumps tens of thousands of dollars into the local economy and benefits various charities.