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Motorcycle rider crashes while fleeing officer
Damian Walling
Damian Walling

A rider speeding on a motorcycle with expired registration caught the attention of a Ceres Police officer early Wednesday, Jan. 13, who ended up chasing after he tried to flee and crashed.

At 2:45 a.m., Officer Aaron Pinon attempted to stop Damian Walling, 47, of Modesto for the violations but he ignored the lights and siren and accelerated northbound on Mitchell Road from River Road at speeds in excess of 70 mph. 

Walling turned eastbound onto Finch Road and accelerated to 90 mph. The rider then made a southbound turn onto Mariposa Road which dead-ends after a short distance. Walling lost control and laid down the motorcycle, which slid into a cement barrier.

When Officer Pinon got out of his patrol car he saw Walling standing and ordered him on the ground at gunpoint. Other officers arrived to help take Walling into custody. An ambulance took the suspect to the hospital for medical clearance before he was booked into the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center. 

Walling faces charges of evading a police officer, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.