Troopers release dramatic video of 147 mph pursuit in Snohomish County



EVERETT, Wash. -- Washington State Patrol troopers released video Friday of a 4th of July pursuit of a motorcycle through Snohomish County that reached speeds of up to 147 mph.

Troopers used the video as an example of what it means when you see the signs indicating speed is “patrolled by aircraft.”

The aerial video shows the pursuit in the area of Interstate 5 and Highway 529 in Snohomish County.

A trooper first clocked the motorcyclist going 82 mph in a 60 mph speed zone on northbound I-5 near the Boeing exit. The driver failed to stop, so the trooper called the WSP Aviation Unit which was already monitoring traffic from their Cessna aircraft.

"The aircraft quickly spotted the motorcyclist and followed him into a residential area in Everett. At one point during the 17 mile pursuit, the motorcyclist was clocked at 147 miles per hour!"


Video shows the rider jump off of the motorcycle at a home where troopers quickly arrived and arrested him.

Nobody was hurt.

Everett police assisted WSP.

"Speeding a serious traffic concern in Washington State. In 2016, Washington suffered 537 traffic-related deaths. According to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, speed was involved in more than 28% of those fatal collisions. No loss of life is worth speeding.

"Speeding creates a greater potential for loss of vehicle control, a reduced effectiveness of occupant protection, increases the stopping distance and the degree of potential crash severity, and ultimately it increases the risk of serious injury or death."


Last year, WSP contacted 380, 296 drivers for speed violations in 2016. Troopers said they wrote 233,527 citations and issued 1,452 written warnings. More than 145,000 drivers also received verbal warnings.

Watch the full video below: