St. John youth arrested after alleged dirt bike chase

An account of an alleged pursuit of a motorcycle dirt bike through the city streets of St. John was filed in the arrest report of a 15-year-old juvenile who has been charged with attempting to elude a police vehicle. The youth has been summoned to appear in juvenile court March 5.

According to the deputy’s arrest report, he observed the motorcycle entering St. John at 5:37 p.m. Feb. 22 on Highway 23 near the Loomis Street intersection. The report said after the rider saw the deputy he did a U turn which started an alleged pursuit that continued on several streets in St. John. The deputy’s report said the speedometer on his patrol car showed speeds of between 45 and 50 miles an hour as he attempted to catch up to the dirt bike.

Near the end of the chase, the rider circled the St. John School bus garage and then rode the motorcycle into a field. The deputy was unable to follow into the field, but he contacted the driver of a truck near the bus shop who offered to drive into the field and convince the youth to come back and talk with the deputy.

The officer said his initial intent was to stop the youth and advise him that it was illegal to ride the dirt bike, which lacked lights and a license, on public roads. He reported the youth looked back at the patrol car several times as the chase continued through St. John.