A 39-year-old Ocala man is behind bars after he allegedly fled from a Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputy while riding on a motorcycle that was reported stolen.
On Monday, the MCSO deputy was on patrol when a dark motorcycle was observed traveling eastbound on Oak Road in Ocala. The deputy noted in the arrest report that the motorcycle’s tag was “bent” and “unreadable.”
The deputy caught up to the motorcycle and attempted to conduct a traffic stop at the intersection of Oak Road and Hickory Track Drive. The report stated that the motorcycle’s rider and sole occupant, later identified as Jonathan Kenton Johnson, turned onto Hickory Track Drive and slowed down as if he was about to stop.
According to the report, Johnson then accelerated at a high rate of speed on Hickory Track Drive, which is a dead end. When Johnson reached the end of the street, he proceeded to crash into nearby bushes.
The deputy noted that Johnson briefly attempted to flee on foot, but he quickly “gave up” and obeyed the deputy’s verbal commands. He was taken into custody without further incident.
After being read his Miranda rights, Johnson told the deputy that he fled because he did not have a motorcycle license, and he “did not want to be arrested.” He further claimed that the motorcycle belonged to one of his friends.
In the report, the deputy noted that the motorcycle appeared to have been recently painted black and blue, and some of the paint was peeled off to show the original paint color. A search of the motorcycle’s Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) revealed that it had been reported stolen out of Marion County.
Johnson was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail, where he is currently being held on $12,000 bond. He is being charged with fleeing to elude a law enforcement officer, grand theft of a motor vehicle, and operating a motorcycle without a license.
A court date has been scheduled at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, April 16, according to jail records.