Motorcycle chase on the Greenway Trail ends in crash

By Carrie A. Mizell

A Miami man may lose his leg after crashing his motorcycle on Saturday night during a chase that had two local law enforcement officers pursuing him down the Greenway Trail west of Trenton.
Richard L. Romero, 46, of Miami, was transported with serious injuries to Shands Hospital by helicopter shortly after the incident occurred.
According to Trenton Police Chief Billy Smith, officer Johnny C. Taylor of the Trenton Police Department and Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Deputy David Reeves were at the Texaco station when they heard a loud motorcycle coming down NW 1st Street presumably from the City Bar.
The motorcycle reportedly roared onto State Road 26 passing one car and nearly rear-ending an SUV turning into the Texaco. At a high rate of speed Romero steered the 1998 Harley Davidson motorcycle down 26 passing another vehicle in a no passing zone before leaving the city limits.
As Officer Taylor and Deputy Reeves pursued, Romero turned the motorcycle down County Road 307 before making a right turn onto the Greenway Trail where he raced the motorcycle back toward Trenton.
According to Chief Smith, an in-car video camera inside the Trenton Police Department’s patrol car showed the motorcycle speeding toward Officer Thomas’ patrol car where he had it stopped to block the Greenway Trail near Trenton Elementary School.
Officer Thomas’ attempt to barricade the trail proved futile as Romero continued at speeds of up to 60 mph going around the patrol car and in the process taking off the right side mirror on the car.
Romero traveled another half mile down the Greenway before hitting a wooden fence with the right side of his motorcycle causing it to rotate clockwise before Romero was ejected. Both the motorcycle and Romero came to a final rest on the north shoulder of the Greenway.
Deputy Reeves was following just behind Romero in pursuit and was unable to stop his patrol car before it collided with the downed motorcycle and Romero.
According to Major Tony Smith of the Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Office, Romero has been charged with a felony count of Aggravated fleeing along with leaving the scene of a crash. Smith indicated that further charges are pending the results of a toxicology test.