Police: 2 dead after motorcycle flees traffic stop in Pierce County

Two people are dead after their motorcycle slammed into a car in Pierce County on Thursday, according to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department.

Pierce County Sheriff’s Ed Troyer said a deputy tried to pull over the motorcyclist and his passenger near the intersection of 85th Street and Golden Given Road East. It was a traffic stop but the pair took off and seconds later they crashed into a vehicle just before 3 p.m.

Troyer said the motorcyclists created the danger this time -- running from the stop and rifling through this intersection at 80-plus mph. The motorcycle slammed into a car in the middle of the roadway the driver and passenger on it were thrown dozens of feet from the impact.

Stephen Reeves lives at a housing complex right near the intersection and said that high speed is the way of life for many of the people driving on either of the roads, “This street is a racetrack...they start there, rev their engines.”

Reeves lamented that it happened at an intersection he’s considered dangerous for some time, “it's tragic it has to happen in your own neighborhood right here.”

Pierce County Sheriff’s said the two men were 47 and 48 years old.

Troyer said the department did not chase the motorcycle as it sped away, “extremely reckless we have some people who are traumatized that saw this, one of the riders bounced off the windshield of another car.”

Donna Balajabia said she lives right at the corner and heard the whining motorcycle engine, she realized it wasn't fading away as if the cycle was driving down the road so she ran out her front door and saw  the aftermath, “Oh my god! I have got to call 911 that was the first thing I thought.”  She saw a mangled motorcycle, a car with the front end caved in, and two bodies in the road, “I think that's crazy...it's shocking it really is.”

Troyer said the people in the car only had minor injuries. 
Another resident who spoke to KIRO 7, Leeanne Black, said she lived near the corner her whole life and no accident at this intersection is a surprise, "it's just been a dangerous corner all of my years...  and sometimes I see people just go through straight through the corner and not stop at all."

Troyer said it could have been a lot worse, if the car had been there a split second sooner the people inside could have been killed, “this is all on the motorcycle driver driving at a high rate of speed.”

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