GALVESTON, Texas – Police said a large pack of motorcyclists put the public at risk in Galveston on Sunday afternoon.
The Galveston Police Department said it received several calls around 2:30 p.m. reporting dangerous behavior. Witnesses said there were approximately 50 sport-style motorcycles driving recklessly by weaving through traffic and pulling wheelies at high speed while headed southbound on the Interstate 45 causeway.
"A group of people acting foolish and unlawful on motorcycle puts our community at great risk. Not to mention what it does to people who are driving minding their own business." said Galveston police chief Henry Porretto.
Patrol units surrounded most of the cyclists at the foot of the bridge, and pulled them. But police say two of them, both carrying passengers, tried to elude police by turning onto the southbound feeder road at the 61st St curve, and going the wrong way against oncoming traffic.
The two bikes then back across the causeway headed north with a single patrol unit in pursuit. The officer's dash cam video shows the two bikes swerving through traffic at speeds near 120 mph.
Fearing for the safety of other motorists, the police supervisor called off the chase.
But minutes later, when the two fleeing cyclists attempted to pull off the freeway at the Tiki Island exit, one of them lost control of his bike and crashed. No one was seriously injured, but when the driver tried to flee on foot, three motorists pulled over to help the officer subdue and arrest him.
"They (motorists) were quite upset and didn't want them to get away," Porretto said.
Police said another rider also cracked up when he tried to elude police crashed in the 8000 block of IH-45 on the feeder road, but wasn't seriously hurt according to the Chief
"It put a lot of people at risk, it's stupid. It put our officers at risk puts our cars at risk, but it puts people in a position where they could be hurt and they didn't do anything wrong."
Felony charges of evading arrest were filed against Gresham Sestoso, 34, of Sugar Land. Officers arrested another motorcyclists for not possessing a drivers license or insurance.
A total of 28 citations were issued to cyclists for offenses ranging from speeding to equipment and licensing violations. Five motorcycles were towed.