SHARE

Stamford Police: Teen Taunted Cop From Motorcycle, Led Pursuit Onto Merritt

STAMFORD, Conn. — A Stamford teenager was arrested after he taunted an officer from his motorcycle, ran two red lights, engaged police in pursuit on the Merritt and then hid his motorcycle and said it had been stolen, police said. 

Christopher Rodriguez

Christopher Rodriguez

Photo Credit: Stamford Police Department
Stamford officers found the motorcycle behind a home and hidden under a tarp, police said.

Stamford officers found the motorcycle behind a home and hidden under a tarp, police said.

Photo Credit: Stamford Police Department

The incident began at 3:18 p.m. Monday as Lt. Diedrich Hohn was monitoring traffic in the 800 block of High Ridge Road. 

A black motorcycle with white stripes drove by him while revving his engine in a taunting manner, police said. 

The motorcycle then headed north on High Ridge, went through two red lights and failed to stop when the lieutenant attempted to pull him over, police said. 

The motorcyclist continued onto the Merritt Parkway to Exit 36 and eventually returned to Stamford, where the pursuit was terminated due to safety concerns, police said.

After the pursuit, officers determined that that the license plate was for a Black Yamaha GSXR registered to Christopher Rodriguez, 18, of Fairland St., police said 

Officers contacted Rodriguez and he returned home, police said. He told the officers that his motorcycle had been stolen, and he did not know where it was, police said.

Officers Holden, Festa, Deems, Neri, Pitoniak and Wikman assisted in the follow-up and determined that Rodriguez had attempted to hide the bike behind a residence on Danell Drive, police said. 

The officers found the motorcycle there — hidden under a tarp, with the engine still warm and with a black and gold helmet, police said. The motorcycle was confiscated and taken to police headquarters.

Rodriguez was arrested and charged with reckless operation, engaging police in pursuit, three counts of failure to obey a traffic control signal, failure to drive right, passing between lanes of traffic, interfering with police, and second-degree reckless endangerment. 

He was released after posting $10,000 appearance bond.

During the past few months, the Stamford Police Department, as well as the Connecticut State Police, have seen an increase in motorcycle operators taunting law enforcement and leading them on pursuits. 

"This activity is very brazen and it puts the operator, the Officer and the driving community in danger," Stamford police said. "These operators have given officers unflattering gestures, cut the officers off, done wheelies in front of them, and banged on the side of the patrol vehicles as they drive by." 

The Stamford Police Department has been investigating and was in the midst of this investigation when the incident happened Monday.

to follow Daily Voice Stamford and receive free news updates.

SCROLL TO NEXT ARTICLE