Update | Police arrest ‘crazy’ motorcyclist who videoed 260km/h Hong Kong joyride
Arrest made a day after a police manhunt was launched for one of two motorcycle racers captured on video riding on public roads at speeds as fast as 260km/h
A man was arrested on Tuesday night for dangerous driving and failing to comply with a police officer's instructions after allegedly being caught on video driving a motorcycle on public roads at speeds of up to 260km/h.
A 21-year-old sushi chef, who lives in Chak On Estate in Shek Kip Mei, was arrested shortly after he appeared in New Territories South Regional headquarters in Tsuen Wan on Tuesday night.
Watch: motorcyclist's crazy high-speed joyride
The arrest was made a day after a police manhunt was launched for one of two motorcycle racers captured on video riding on public roads at speeds as fast as 260km/h and 272km/h on two occasions – including one in which he was seen evading a police officer’s instruction to stop.
The search was launched after two videos were posted online on Monday. The rider was shown racing in daylight at about 260km/h on Stonecutters Bridge and at 272km/h on the West Kowloon Expressway on April 18, and an unknown date respectively.
Police said arrested man, the registered owner of the 600cc Honda CBR600RR HRC, denied he was the driver shown in the clips.
The man was later released on a bail and was ordered to report back to police on June 30. New Territories South traffic unit is investigating whether he was also connected to what had been shown in the second video clip.
The first clip had attracted more than 150,000 hits by last night after found the video online and posted it on its website at 4am on Monday morning. It shows the rider eluding a traffic policeman who tried to stop him at the exit of the Nam Wan Tunnel in Tsing Yi. He then travels the seven kilometres from Tsing Yi to Stonecutters Island in Kwai Chung in less than two minutes.
"Our motorcycles are not designed for that speed," one police officer said. "If someone wants to drive at that speed, he's crazy. It's too dangerous." The officer said he believed both clips featured the same vehicle. In the first video, an officer on a motorcycle is seen overtaking the speedster in the Nam Wan Tunnel.
Our motorcycles are not designed for that speed. If someone wants to drive at that speed, he's crazy. It's too dangerous
As both bikes leave the tunnel, the officer slows and turns on his flashing blue lights, but is left behind as the motorcyclist accelerates, crosses double white lines and then speeds across Stonecutters Bridge with the speedometer indicating 260km/h. The limit on the bridge is 80km/h.
The motorcycle then travels at more than 180km/h on a 50km/h stretch of road in Kwai Chung, where it leaves Stonecutters Bridge. At times, it weaves between other vehicles, narrowly avoiding clipping cars.
The officer believes the incident did not happen recently because the policeman captured on film was wearing a winter jacket.
"We are investigating when the video was uploaded and who uploaded it," he said. The clips were taken on a mini video camera fixed to the bike, police said.
The New Territories South traffic unit is investigating. No arrest had been made last night.
