A 27-year-old motorcyclist died last night after allegedly fleeing a traffic stop on Route 1 and colliding with a vehicle, police said.
At 10:40 p.m., a University Police officer witnessed a motorcycle leaving the campus without valid registration. The officer flashed his lights to begin a traffic stop and the driver of the motorcycle, a Clifton, Md., man, reportedly fled at a high rate of speed down Paint Branch Parkway toward the College Park Metro station, University Police spokesman Capt. Marc Limansky said. The officer pursued the motorcycle down Paint Branch Parkway, but could not keep up with the bike, Limansky added.
The driver, who allegedly could not control the motorcycle, veered into the oncoming lane, collided with a car containing two university students, and was ejected from the motorcycle, Limansky said. He was transported to Prince George’s Hospital with serious injuries and later pronounced dead. The students were shaken from the accident, Limansky said, but suffered no injuries.
Limansky said the driver was not wanted and did not seem to have a reason to flee.
“His license was valid, he had a motorcycle license, so it’s really not clear why he fled,” Limansky said.
The Prince George’s County Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Unit is currently investigating the incident. Check back for updates as more information is released.
