37°
The Harley Davidson was missing a license plate when an officer tried pulling over Michael L. Thorpe near the corner of Ridge Road and Valley Brook Avenue around 9 a.m., Police Chief James O'Connor told Daily Voice.
"Instead of stopping, he took off at a high rate of speed," O'Connor said.
Backup officers headed to the scene as the chase was called off -- given the proximity to recreational and shopping areas.
Police a short time later found the wiped-out rider at Delafield and Lake avenues several blocks away.
Thorpe, who's a landscaper by trade, was taken to Hackensack University Medical Center.
He was charged with resisting arrest by eluding and scheduled for a May 16 first appearance in Central Judicial Processing
Responders included the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office, which investigates all police pursuits ending in crashes, and the county sheriff's Bureau of Criminal Identification, which collected evidence.
O'Connor said the officers "used good judgment by terminating the pursuit quickly. Unfortunately for the young man, he decided to keep going."
Click here to follow Daily Voice Garfield-Lodi and receive free news updates.
