Resident tries to flee police in ATV

Published 10:08 am Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Police chased, and later apprehended, an Austin man fleeing in a vehicle Monday night — all while not topping 40 mph.

The 41-year-old man, who is likely to be charged formally Tuesday, led police through northeast Austin on an all-terrain vehicle, eventually stopping in the 700 block of 19th Street Northeast. After exiting the vehicle, the man tried to resist arrest but police used a Taser and handcuffed him. The man appeared drunk at the time of his arrest, according to a police report.

The incident began when police were called to a home in the 2000 block of Fifth Avenue Northeast at around 8 p.m. for a reported domestic issue. However, the man had already left the home when officers arrived.

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Police were called again about an hour later when the man returned to the area, and this time they were able to find him on Oakland Avenue near Highway 218, according to the report. Dispatch notified officers on-scene that the man was riding an ATV and that he had just slammed into a van.

The man took off when he saw police, heading north on Highway 218 in the southbound lane, the report states. From there, he turned west on Sixth Avenue Northeast and drove through a residential area, cutting through several yards in the process.

Officers activated their squad car sirens during the pursuit and followed the man at speeds ranging from 30 mph to 40 mph.

By state law, ATV riders are not allowed on city roads.