LAKE ORION, Mich. – A motorcyclist turned himself in to authorities Tuesday morning after an arrest warrant was issued due to the information he posted to social media, laying out the case for prosecutors and inadvertently incriminating himself.
The video shows the incident as plain as day.
The man is outside of the popular Sagebrush Cantina in Lake Orion, performing brake torques. Smoke can be seen rising off the pavement and the noise is deafening.
A Lake Orion police officer sees what’s happening and pulls up with his emergency lights on when the motorcyclist takes off, going 140 mph down Broadway and onto M-24. The officer gives chase, but ends it after a half mile because the bike is no longer visible.
In most cases, that would have been the end of it. But this rider basked in his abilities to elude and posted his accomplishment to Facebook.
Mike Brown, of Rochester Hills, posted information to his Facebook page, which was later forwarded to the Lake Orion Police Department.
In a portion of Brown’s post, he brags, “cop seen me put his car right at my foot flicked his lights as soon as I heard his car hit park I dropped into gear and disappeared 45 sec 140 in a 35 mph #ftp #nojailthisweekend #everyonelovedit.”
Spectators may have loved it, but police loved the social media post more.
“Not only is it a confession,” Lake Orion Police Chief Jerry Narsh said. “It also listed info that realistically the motorist and the officer would know and that makes it then evidence.”
Had Brown not put up his Facebook post, police say it’s highly unlikely they ever would have been able to close the case. Plus, because Brown so helpfully mentioned how fast he was going and the speed limit, he’s looking at a five-year felony.
Chief Narsh has a few hashtags of his own in this case, including “#gladnoonegothurt, #we’renotmakingthisstuffup, and #theremaybejailnow.”