Florida Man On Motorcycle Taunts Police, Crashes Into Tree

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — A man who taunted deputies with a very loud motorcycle and sped away from attempted traffic stops ended up crashing into a tree, Volusia County sheriff’s investigators said.

Russell Gortzig, 23, of Orlando, was found lying in the front yard of a Deltona home around 7:21 p.m. Tuesday and was airlifted to Central Florida Regional Hospital in Sanford with leg and facial injuries, a report states.

Volusia deputies said Gortzig started provoking them around 7 p.m., when he drove past the Volusia County Sheriff’s District 4 Office on Providence Boulevard twice, revving the motor each time, and taunting a deputy and a sergeant standing outside, a Volusia Sheriff’s Office incident report said.

A deputy drove out looking for Gortzig and found him in the parking lot of a convenience store, but when he approached Gortzig to stop him, Gortzig started the Kawasaki’s engine and revved it again, smiled at the deputy and sped off, investigators said.

Another deputy later reported Gortzig’s location, and a sergeant could hear a motorcycle with an extremely loud exhaust, the report states.

The sergeant then saw Gortzig, but when he tried to stop the motorcyclist himself, Gortzig sped away, going 70 mph in a 40 mph zone on Providence Boulevard, a report states.

Gortzig drove recklessly, overtaking vehicles in a no-passing zone, as he sped away from the sergeant, a report detailed.

A deputy later reported seeing Gortzig westbound on Monticello Street. The sergeant continued looking for Gortzig, and as he approached the intersection of Fort Smith Boulevard and Monticello Street, he came upon several people flagging him down, investigators said.

The sheriff’s sergeant then saw Gortzig lying in the front yard of 1502 Monticello, according to the report.

Witnesses said Gortzig, who was traveling about 100 mph, lost control of the motorcycle and slammed into a tree, deputies said.

The motorcycle was heavily damaged.

Gortzig’s license was suspended for non-payment of child support. He now faces charges of attempting to elude, fleeing and attempting to elude, reckless driving, driving with a suspended license, and riding without a motorcycle endorsement, the report shows. [ORIGINAL STORY]