Motorcycle passenger dies, driver caught

[PeteSC]

Motorcycle passenger dies, driver caught
00:00 am 7/30/05
Doug Erickson Wisconsin State Journal

FITCHBURG - A motorcycle that had been pursued by police crashed Thursday afternoon on Fish Hatchery Road, killing the male passenger.

The male driver fled on foot but was caught a short time later by police about a mile away at the Fitchburg Ridge shopping center. His name was not released.

Fitchburg Police Lt. Chad Brecklin said he did not know whether police were chasing the motorcycle at the moment it crashed. However, about 15 minutes earlier, at 4:20 p.m., a town of Madison police officer started pursuing the motorcycle on Ski Lane near the Beltline, Brecklin said.

At some point, the town of Madison officer lost sight of the motorcycle. The motorcycle was spotted again about 4:35 p.m. by an officer at the intersection of Fish Hatchery Road and Highway PD, Brecklin said. Moments later the motorcycle crashed while heading north on Fish Hatchery Road.

Police did not release details of how the crash happened.

Just prior to the driver's capture, a State Journal reporter and photographer saw a bloodied and wet man stagger from a creek at Nine Springs Public Golf Course, about a half-mile from the crash site. The man seemed disoriented but didn't respond when asked if he needed help. He was headed in the direction of the shopping center and passed by several golfers as he stumbled across the golf course.

Dane County Coroner John Stanley said the dead man sustained head injuries and died at the scene. Based on the extent of the injuries, it did not appear the man was wearing a helmet, Stanley said. The victim's name was not released pending notification of relatives.

 
 

The crash site is near the Department of Natural Resources' Nevin Fish Hatchery and across from the Copps grocery store. The crash shut down both directions of traffic on Fish Hatchery Road for several hours.

Brecklin said the driver was treated at a hospital for injuries that did not appear to be life threatening.

Brecklin said he did not know why the town of Madison initiated the pursuit. The town of Madison Police Department did not return a call seeking comment.