OSP Trooper in 'High-Speed' Bicycle Chase

In one of two unusual attempts to elude Oregon State Police traffic-related stops involving bicyclists, an OSP trooper on a bicycle chased after a car at 25 mph near the Capitol building.

In the second a vehicle-bound trooper tried to stop a man on a bicycle backing up traffic on Highway 58. The incidents led to two arrests in the Salem and Eugene areas.

The first incident happened 1 p.m. Wednesday in Salem when OSP Trooper Perry Rhoades was patrolling the Capitol Mall area on a bicycle and spotted a 1997 Ford four-door driving recklessly near the State Capitol building and nearly striking pedestrians in a crosswalk on Court Street near Winter Street.

Rhoades caught up with the car and made several attempts to get the driver to stop, including riding alongside the driver's door and ordering the female driver to stop.  The driver, identified as Suzanne L. Futrell, age 44, from Dallas, refused to stop and yelled through her rolled-up window that she didn't do anything wrong.

Futrell allegedly continued driving in a reckless manner including driving through a red light as Rhoades continued to try and get her to stop as speeds reached about 25 mph. Several people in the area saw and heard the trooper's attempts to get the car stopped, including a man on a bicycle who joined in to help. Two other troopers in an unmarked patrol car helped get the car stopped in a downtown Salem parking lot on Liberty Street near Marion Street about six blocks from where the incident began.

A search of the car led to the discovery of less than an ounce of marijuana and several medications. Futrell was arrested on charges of reckless driving, felony atempt to elude in a vehicle, unlawful possession of a controlled substance and possession of less than an ounce of marijuana.

The second incident happened Thursday morning east of Eugene when OSP Senior Trooper Steve Thrapp responded to a 7:20 a.m. report of a person riding a bicycle in dark clothing with no lighting equipment in the middle of Highway 58 near milepost 22.  Thrapp located the bicyclist near milepost 16 riding westbound in the eastbound lane and directed the bicyclist, 39-year-old Eugene resident Robert James Frank, out of the road.

Frank refused to respond, continuing to ride in the traffic lane weaving back and forth.  Thrapp activated the patrol car emergency overhead lights and siren but Frank refused to stop, so the trooper called for assistance as Frank continued riding, with other traffic backing up behind the patrol car.

Two other troopers set up near milepost 11 and as the bicycle approached, Frank tried to go around the patrol car and was tackled off the bike.  Frank resisted arrest but was taken into custody at 7:50 a.m. on charges of disorderly conduct an resisting arrest. He was also cited for failing to obey a police officer.