Motorcyclist leads Keys cops on high-speed chase, then crashes
A New Jersey man remained in Monroe County jail Monday after deputies say he was speeding on U.S. 1 in the northern part of the island chain Sunday afternoon, at one time reaching speeds of at least 130 mph.
A sheriff’s office deputy first noticed Jordan Capellan-Lopez riding his BMW motorcycle with three other bikers around 3:25 p.m. near mile marker 96. They were driving north, speeding and weaving in and out of traffic, according to the sheriff’s office. Two of them broke off from the pack, accelerating to almost 90 mph, according to the sheriff’s office.
The deputy turned on his flashing lights and sirens to try to make them pull over. One biker slowed down, but Capellan-Lopez sped off on his bike, popping a wheelie at more than 100 mph, the deputy stated in his report.
The sheriff’s office usually calls off chases on U.S. 1 for safety reasons. Rather, they typically call ahead to other deputies down the road, who try to stop the fleeing vehicles, sometimes laying down strips of spikes as a last resort. Deputies need permission from their supervisors to engage in high-speed pursuits.
In this case, they didn’t have to. Deputies say Capellan-Lopez lost control of his BMW at mile marker 99. His bike left the highway and crashed through some landscaping in front of a bank.
He was taken to Mariners Hospital in Tavernier and treated for minor injuries. Deputies then booked him into jail on Plantation Key.
His bond information was not immediately available. He faces charges of fleeing and eluding police and reckless driving. He was also cited for speeding and popping the wheelie.
It was not immediately clear if the other bikers were arrested.
Sunday’s incident comes less than two months after a speeding motorcyclist slammed into a car in Key Largo, killing the biker and the two people inside the vehicle.
