SHAMOKIN - A late-night motorcycle chase through Shamokin and Irish Valley that reached speeds of 100 mph has resulted in a number of charges against a Shamokin man.
Brad D. Latshaw, 38, of 1207 N. Pearl St., was charged by Shamokin City Police Patrolman Scott Weaver last week with 13 offenses, including driving under the influence and fleeing police, related to the June 19 incident.
According to court documents, Weaver was on patrol at approximately 12:23 a.m. on Lincoln Street when a motorcycle, allegedly driven by Latshaw and with a female passenger not wearing eye protection, pulled up behind the police vehicle. The officer pulled over in the area of the Turkey Hill Minit-Market to let the motorcycle pass, which did so at a high rate of speed as the rider crossed over Market Street, Weaver reported.
Weaver activated his emergency lights and approached the motorcycle in the area of Arch and Sixth streets. The driver then looked behind him and drove through the intersection without stopping while turning onto Sixth Street, Weaver reported.
The motorcyclist then accelerated, ignoring stop lights at Walnut and Sunbury streets as he continued onto Route 61. Weaver pursued, and the two vehicles reached 100 mph until the cycle made a left turn into Irish Valley, according to police. The officer informed Northumberland County Communications of the direction of travel and ended his pursuit.
Fifteen minutes later, state police stopped the motorcycle on Irish Valley Road and summoned Weaver, who identified the motorcycle and the driver and passenger as the ones on the bike during his pursuit.
Weaver said the passenger was highly intoxicated and could not be understood. She was not charged.
Latshaw would not face officers to talk to them, but police detected an odor of alcohol, Weaver reported.
After Latshaw failed a field sobriety test and a preliminary breath test, he was taken into custody for blood-alcohol testing at Shamokin Area Community Hospital. Results showed a blood-alcohol content level of .154 percent.
Police charged Latshaw with driving under the influence, driving under the influence with a blood alcohol level of .10 to .16 percent, reckless endangerment of another person and fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, along with summary citations of driving without a motorcycle license, driving at an unsafe speed, careless driving, reckless driving, failure to drive on the right side of the roadway and failure to wear protective equipment for motorcycle riders, and three violations for failing to observe stop signs.
The charges were filed with Magisterial District Judge John Gembic III. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for August.