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GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
Pursuit and Arrest of Reckless Motorcyclist
On June 16th, supervisory park ranger Michael Nash and ranger Carin Harvey were operating a patrol vehicle eastbound on Little River Road when they saw a motorcycle traveling westbound at a high rate of speed. Radar measured the motorcycle’s speed at 70 mph in a 35 mph speed zone. Nash immediately turned around and followed the motorcycle with emergency lights and siren activated. The motorcycle operator, later identified as Raymond Mas, 32, of Coral Gables, Florida, initially slowed down slightly when the patrol vehicle turned around to follow, but after about a half mile Mas looked distinctly back at the patrol car and accelerated rapidly, passing three vehicle simultaneously in a no passing zone. The rangers pursued the motorcycle for about four miles, reaching speeds of 100 mph on a straight stretch, but the motorcycle continued to pull away. Traffic on the road was very heavy at the time, so Nash terminated the pursuit but continued to follow. As Nash drove, Harvey operated the radio, calling in rangers from the Cades Cove area and officers from outside agencies to block park exits at Wears Gap and the Townsend Wye. Nash and Harvey had lost site of the motorcycle, but as they continued to follow westward they interviewed visitors who told them that the motorcycle was continuing west at a very high rate of speed and had several near miss incidents with other motorists. In one case, park maintenance workers were working along the road and had a one lane closure with a flagman. Mas ignored the flagman and blew by the road workers at a very high rate of speed, continuing west toward Cades Cove. Responding to the call for assistance, a Townsend Police Department officer was stationed at the Townsend Wye. The motorcyclist approached the Wye at a very high rate of speed and drove directly at the officer, veering away at the last second and turning left toward Cades Cove. Rangers from Cades Cove resumed the pursuit, while district ranger Sharon Hutkowski stationed a vehicle at the intersection of the Cades Cove Loop Road in an attempt to turn it away from the heavily congested road. When Mas approached the Loop Road and saw the patrol vehicle and another NPS maintenance vehicle stationed at the intersection, he stopped and dismounted the motorcycle and gave up, ending the pursuit. The chase covered a distance of 23 miles before Mas decided to terminate it. Mas was arrested, charged with reckless driving, transported to jail, and held without bond. On June 21st, Mas was indicted on charges of evasion and a detention hearing was set for June 24th. On June 24th, Mas was released on a $50,000 own recognizance bond, ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation, and required to surrender his passport. A trial is scheduled for August 24th. The United States Attorney’s Office is considering additional charges in this case. Ranger Chuck Hester is serving as the lead investigator.
Pursuit and Arrest of Reckless Motorcyclist
On June 16th, supervisory park ranger Michael Nash and ranger Carin Harvey were operating a patrol vehicle eastbound on Little River Road when they saw a motorcycle traveling westbound at a high rate of speed. Radar measured the motorcycle’s speed at 70 mph in a 35 mph speed zone. Nash immediately turned around and followed the motorcycle with emergency lights and siren activated. The motorcycle operator, later identified as Raymond Mas, 32, of Coral Gables, Florida, initially slowed down slightly when the patrol vehicle turned around to follow, but after about a half mile Mas looked distinctly back at the patrol car and accelerated rapidly, passing three vehicle simultaneously in a no passing zone. The rangers pursued the motorcycle for about four miles, reaching speeds of 100 mph on a straight stretch, but the motorcycle continued to pull away. Traffic on the road was very heavy at the time, so Nash terminated the pursuit but continued to follow. As Nash drove, Harvey operated the radio, calling in rangers from the Cades Cove area and officers from outside agencies to block park exits at Wears Gap and the Townsend Wye. Nash and Harvey had lost site of the motorcycle, but as they continued to follow westward they interviewed visitors who told them that the motorcycle was continuing west at a very high rate of speed and had several near miss incidents with other motorists. In one case, park maintenance workers were working along the road and had a one lane closure with a flagman. Mas ignored the flagman and blew by the road workers at a very high rate of speed, continuing west toward Cades Cove. Responding to the call for assistance, a Townsend Police Department officer was stationed at the Townsend Wye. The motorcyclist approached the Wye at a very high rate of speed and drove directly at the officer, veering away at the last second and turning left toward Cades Cove. Rangers from Cades Cove resumed the pursuit, while district ranger Sharon Hutkowski stationed a vehicle at the intersection of the Cades Cove Loop Road in an attempt to turn it away from the heavily congested road. When Mas approached the Loop Road and saw the patrol vehicle and another NPS maintenance vehicle stationed at the intersection, he stopped and dismounted the motorcycle and gave up, ending the pursuit. The chase covered a distance of 23 miles before Mas decided to terminate it. Mas was arrested, charged with reckless driving, transported to jail, and held without bond. On June 21st, Mas was indicted on charges of evasion and a detention hearing was set for June 24th. On June 24th, Mas was released on a $50,000 own recognizance bond, ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation, and required to surrender his passport. A trial is scheduled for August 24th. The United States Attorney’s Office is considering additional charges in this case. Ranger Chuck Hester is serving as the lead investigator.