Police: Man riding dirt bike reported as stolen drops it in front of patrol car, flees

An Oak Ridge man riding a dirt bike reported to be stolen from Staples lost control of the motorcycle and dropped it in front of a police patrol car before fleeing Thursday evening, authorities said.

Oak Ridge Police Department Officer Sherrill Selby observed two dirt bikes on South Benedict Avenue at about 7:45 p.m. Thursday, and they were “riding wheelies at a high rate of speed,” according to warrants filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court.

In the warrants, Officer Scott Carroll said the defendant, Seth Montez Davis, 19, rode toward him. When Davis saw him, Carroll said, “he locked up the brakes and slid into my lane of traffic.”

After Davis dropped the bike, he ran behind a home on South Benedict, Carroll said. The officer said he chased Davis through a field and back up to South Benedict, where he was caught.

“While chasing the defendant, I yelled for him to stop numerous times, but he kept running,” Carroll said.

After detaining Davis, Carroll said he ran the vehicle identification number on the motorcycle and learned that it had been reported stolen from the Staples parking lot.

“After hearing this, I contacted the owner of the dirt bike,” Carroll said. He said the owner came to the scene and confirmed that the bike was stolen.

Davis has been charged with theft by possession ($10,000 to $59,999), evading arrest, and reckless driving. He was released from the Anderson County Detention Facility in Clinton on Friday, and his bond has been set at $57,500, according to court records.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

Copyright 2015 Oak Ridge Today. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.