Deltona, FL - He tried to taunt deputies by revving his bike, but he ended up losing control before crashing into a tree.
That's what happened to Russell Gortzig on his 23rd birthday (April 9th).
The Volusia County Sheriff's Office says that around 7 p.m. that day, deputies were standing outside of the VCSO District 4 office when they heard a motorcycle traveling northbound on Providence Boulevard at a high rate of speed.
Shortly after, deputies heard the bike again, this time traveling southbound past the office at a high rate of speed. They report that as the bike passed the office, the rider kept revving the motor as if he were taunting deputies.
The deputies standing outside then began to drive down Providence in search of the bike.
Not long after, VCSO found a white Kawasaki motorcycle parked in a 7-11 parking lot. There, they saw Gortzig sitting on the bike with no helmet. When they stopped in the intersection, Gortzig began to rev the bike again.
Deputies then entered the parking lot in an attempt to stop Gortzig for not having exhaust on his bike. When the deputy pulled up alongside Gortzig, he began to smile and rev the bike before he took off down Tivoli Drive.
VCSO says that deputies couldn't see the bike, but they could hear it. They canvassed the area near Saxon Boulevard, but could not find Gortzig.
Later, another deputy heard the bike on the back roads on the west side of Providence. As the deputy continued north towards Elkcam Boulevard, he watched Gortzig make a turn southboud before taking off at a high rate of speed.
The deputy made a U-turn and began to chase Gortzig down Providence. Gortzig weaved in and out of traffic as he fled from VCSO. The deputy eventually backed off.
But, another deputy saw Gortzig turn down Monticello Avenue. When deputies went down Monticello to find him, they saw him laying in the front yard of a home with his motorcycle several feet off to his side.
One witness told deputies that they watched him the 7-11 after being followed by VCSO. Later, she saw Gortzig speed around a corner and lose control, causing him to crash in a tree.
She said that Gortzig wrapped his body around the tree and tried to crawl away after the crash.
Gortzig, who was complaining about leg pain, was airlifted to Central Florida Regional Hospital for treatment.
He has not been booked into jail as of yet but he is facing charges of fleeing, reckless driving, driving with a suspended license and driving with no motorcycle endorsement.
The motorcycle, which did not belong to Gortzig, was heavily damaged.
