Austintown man facing charges after high-speed cycle chase

AUSTINTOWN — A township man is charged with leading police on a high-speed chase at times reaching 94 mph.

Police were able to follow the sound of exhaust coming from the motorcycle driven by Jose A. Perez III, 22, of Idlewood Road, who was speeding along Lancaster Drive, according to a township police report.

Police tried to pull Perez over along South Meridian Road, after a supporting officer clocked his bike at 94 mph. Officers later found he didn't have the proper license endorsement for the motorcycle.

"It was apparent that the operator of the motorcycle was not experienced due to his lack of shifting and high revving of the engine," the officer wrote.

The chase continued along several streets until the area of North Four Mile Run Road and Oakwood Avenue, where Perez reportedly went left-of-center, clipped a curb and slid under a guardrail. Perez fell into a ravine just north of the crash, the report states.

By the time Perez climbed out of the ravine, officers had guns trained on him. He was transported to St. Elizabeth's Youngstown Hospital with minor injuries, according to the report.

Perez is charged with failure to comply with a police order, reckless operation, speeding and other license-related charges.

He's set for arraignment Monday in the county area court in Austintown.