A 23-year-old Belleview man riding a dirt bike was arrested after he fled from a Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputy who had spotted him performing wheelies on Highway 475.
On Friday, October 28, the MCSO deputy observed a dirt bike that was traveling northbound on Highway 475 in Marion County, near the 8000 block. According to the MCSO report, the deputy saw the vehicle perform wheelies, and the deputy activated the patrol car’s lights and sirens in an attempt to conduct a traffic stop.
The driver of the dirt bike, later identified as Jaime Saul Vazquez Tirado, turned around in-between vehicles and continued to travel southbound on Highway 475 without stopping, according to the report.
Vazquez Tirado continued heading southbound on the dirt bike. The report stated that he crossed over SE 80th Street and into oncoming traffic on Highway 475, and he began driving northbound on the white fog line along the side of the road.
The deputy attempted to pull into a ditch area to conduct a traffic stop of the dirt bike. In the report, the deputy stated that the dirt bike proceeded to crash into the passenger side door of the patrol car.
After the crash, Vazquez Tirado began running away from the dirt bike in a southbound direction. The deputy exited the patrol car, ran after Vazquez Tirado, and discharged an “electronic disabling device” several times, which struck a backpack that Vazquez Tirado was wearing and had no effect on him.
The deputy caught up to Vazquez Tirado, grabbed him, and tackled him to the ground. When the deputy gave Vazquez Tirado instructions to put his hands behind his back, he refused and tensed up while actively pulling away from the deputy, according to the report.
Vazquez Tirado continued to resist, and the deputy delivered several punches to Vazquez Tirado’s stomach area. Those strikes subdued Vazquez Tirado and the deputy was able to secure him in handcuffs.
The deputy searched Vazquez Tirado’s backpack and found a pill container with three white pills inside. Those pills were later identified as acetaminophen oxycodone hydrochloride.
A computer search of Vazquez Tirado revealed that he did not have a motorcycle endorsement.
Vazquez Tirado was arrested, transported to Marion County Jail, and he was later released on $13,000 bond. He is facing felony charges for possession of a controlled substance without a prescription and fleeing and eluding a law enforcement officer with injury or damages.
Vazquez Tirado is also facing misdemeanor charges for operating a motorcycle without a license and resisting an officer without violence.
A court date has not been scheduled yet, according to jail records.