INDIAN RIVER COUNTY – An Indian River County Sheriff’s deputy was injured after a motorcyclist struck him while fleeing an uncompleted subdivision Sunday evening. The motorcyclist then led authorities on a high-speed chase into St. Lucie County.
Image pulled from IRC helicopter footage posted to Sheriff’s Office facebook page. “Close?” and arrow text provided by Sheriff’s Office.
The incident started around 5:52 p.m. in the 9900 block of US 1. The deputy, identified as Ron Adamson, was patrolling the subdivision on foot when he observed two people – a male and a female – on a motorcycle, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
The pair fled the area on the motorcycle when Dep. Adamson motioned and called to them to stop. The motorcycle struck the deputy, causing him to fall to the ground, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Deputy Adamson, a 22-year law enforcement veteran, sustained an injury to his hand and head and was treated at a local hospital.
He radioed a description of the motorcycle at the time of the incident, and less than 15 minutes later, a Fellsmere Police officer caught sight of it in the area of County Road 512 and 108th Avenue.
The officer tried to stop the motorcycle, but the driver again fled, traveling south on Interstate 95, deputies said.
A pursuit ensued, involving the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office, the Fellsmere Police Department and St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office, as well as a law enforcement helicopter. That pursuit reached speeds of 130 mph, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
The video below was provided by the Sheriff’s Office.
The helicopter was able to locate and keep track of the mo
Thirty minutes after the initial contact with the motorcycle, around 6:22 p.m., the motorcycle driver stopped trying to flee and was apprehended near Indrio Road and Kings Highway. The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office made the apprehension.
Both the driver and passenger are in custody and being questioned by law enforcement. They have not yet been publicly identified. Details on why they fled were not immediately available.
No further information was available.