The chase started around 1am Saturday on Shepherd and 43rd. Police said a patrol sergeant saw the motorcycle had no headlight. The sergeant tried to pull over the rider, but he reportedly looked back at him and sped away.
He lost the rider after a short pursuit and called for help. That's when another police unit tried to pull him over a few blocks away, but the rider managed to dodge police again. Investigators said he was driving so fast that they couldn't keep track of him.
A short time later, someone called 911 to report a motorcycle crash in a Sonic parking lot near North Durham and West 30th. It was the same motorcyclist officers had been pursuing, officials said.
"What we believe happened at this time was that he was traveling at such a high rate of speed, he struck a curb, actually went airborne, struck a tree, then struck a parked car before coming to rest up against a pole," HPD spokesperson Kese Smith said.
The man died at the scene, officials said. Officers have not released his name.
Police tell us the motorcycle had its front headlight painted over, and the rear license plate was bent so it was unreadable.
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