It wasn’t the lack of a shirt or sport-style motorcycle that caught the attention of a Bristol Township police officer Tuesday morning – it was the lack of eye protection the driver had.
Officer Paul Shallcross was conducting a traffic enforcement detail when he saw the black motorcycle pass by on westbound New Falls Road near the Indian Creek section. Shallcross, according to court papers, followed the motorcycle and turned on his over lights when the driver turned onto Indian Creek Pass around 10:50 a.m.
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The driver – later identified as Matthew Mensinger, 24, of Bristol Township’s Levittown section – turned his head and looked at the officer, court papers say.
Mensinger kept driving and turned onto Idlewild Road, police said. Shallcross noted in court documents that he then turned on his audible siren and continued to follow the 24-year-old as he drove the motorcycle on Emilie Road, Cinder Lane and then Bristol-Oxford Valley Road, ignoring a stop sign in the process.
At that point, the chase entered the Indian Creek section again, police said.
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While on Idlewild Road, the motorcycle “abruptly” turned onto a property and Mensinger ditched the vehicle in the back yard, court papers say.
Police said they were able to take Mensinger into custody in the back yard.
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Shallcross noted in court papers his vehicle was doing about 60 MPH on residential streets with numerous curves in an attempt to catch up with Mensinger.
The Vehicle Identification Number on the motorcycle was ground off and no other identifying marks were found, according to court papers. A license plate was registered to a motorcycle and registered to a person other than Mensinger, police said. They added that the registration expired in 2010 and that there was no inspection sticker present on the motorcycle.
Mensinger, according to police, does not have a valid motorcycle license or permit. He also has suspended driving privileges.
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Mensinger was arraigned before District Judge Joanne Kline Tuesday afternoon on charges of altered or illegally obtained property, fleeing/eluding police, driving under suspension, no protective equipment for motorcycle riders and minor traffic offenses. He was sent to Bucks County jail on 10 percent of $35,000 bail.
Editor’s Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The story was compiled using information from police and public court documents.
