DEBI DESILVER TERRY
CNHI
CHICKASHA —
A high-speed motorcycle chase down Highway 81 last Wednesday landed a Ninnekah man in jail and a felony charge of eluding a police officer.
Court records show that James William Hutchins, 21, blew by Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Timothy Parrish at U.S. Highway 81 and County Road 1460 and was clocked going 144 miles per hour in a posted 70 miles per hour zone.
Parrish reported that he was sitting stationary at that location at about 3:45 p.m. on Aug. 25 when he observed a red motorcycle traveling southbound. He engaged his emergency lights and siren and pulled onto the roadway behind the Triumph motorcycle.
The trooper then advised OHP dispatchers in Lawton of the pursuit and Parrish was joined by Officer Danny Cole of the Ninnekah Police Department. Records show that while Hutchins was traveling down Highway 81, the motorcycle was weaving in and out of the traffic flow and reached a top radar-indicated speed of 158 miles per hour.
"At County Road 1490 the motorcycle turned east to County Street 2850. Speeds on CR 1490 were approximately 110 mph in a posted 45 mph zone," the court document said.
After several turns in an attempt to elude the officers, Hutchins turned north on County Street 2830 and came to a dead end.
"The subject abandoned his motorcycle and ran northwest approximately 100 yards into a wooded area. Officer Cole told the subject to come out or the police dog would be sent in. The subject then exited the woods and was taken into custody without any further incident," Parrish reported.
The chase lasted about 12 minutes total, according to records.
Hutchins advised the OHP Trooper that he knew he was speeding, became scared when he saw the police cars and decided to try to run.
The felony charge of eluding a police officer is punishable by imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than five years or by a fine of not less than $1,000 to $5,000 or both.
