Biker Caught on Camera by Police Pulling a Wheelie at 70mph
Monday, March 22nd, 2010James Stoddard was caught doing dangerous riding at high speed
A motorcyclist, James Stoddard, has been caught pulling a wheelie whilst riding his Yamaha YZF-R1 at 70mph, not realizing there was an unmarked police car behind him catching everything on camera.
48 year old Stoddard of Chessington Road, Epson, Surrey, was out riding with ten other bikers and was filmed doing a series of dangerous stunts at high speed.
The motorcyclists overtook the unmarked police car on the A24 near Horsham, West Sussex on September 6th 2009. They were seen to weave in and out of other vehicles at high speed as the officer followed closely filming it all.
Stoddard was filmed doing wheelies and power slides, leaving thick black rubber tyre marks in the road.
In the running commentary the police biker describes seeing Stoddard flip up his number plate as he passes a speed camera. When police finally pulled him over and inspected the Yamaha YZF-R1 they did indeed find a ‘flip-up’ registration plate, designed to hide his details from speed cameras.
A marked police motorcyclist eventually pulled over the group of bikers but the unmarked vehicle had to pursue two of them at speeds of up to 104mph before they finally pulled over.
Stoddard was given a three month jail sentence after admitting dangerous driving and perverting the course of justice at Brighton Crown Court. His bike was confiscated and he was banned from driving for two years.
Three other bikers from the group were convicted at Crawley Magistrates Court of careless driving, dangerous driving and threatening behaviour.
Insp Marc Clothier of Sussex Police’s Road Policing Unit Operations team said: “Motorcyclists represent a small proportion of overall road users, but account for a very high proportion of fatal and serious injury road traffic crashes.
“Where any motorist deliberately and intentionally puts themselves and other road users at danger, they can expect to be dealt with robustly, as these motorcyclists have discovered.”
source: Telegraph
