An investigation is underway following a fatal crash involving a dirt bike rider and an off-duty officer in Harris County, Texas. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office reported that the incident occurred on January 6, when a white Yamaha dirt bike, operated by an unidentified male, was reportedly being chased by a deputy constable and subsequently crashed into a trailer.
The chase began when the off-duty Liberty County Precinct 4 Deputy Constable, in pursuit in his private vehicle equipped with emergency lights and siren, attempted to stop the dirt bike for reasons yet to be disclosed. According to the sheriff's office, this may have caused the rider to to dangerously accelerate as he neared the intersection of E. Wallisville Road and Haney Road.
At the same time, 54-year-old Michael Ashworth was maneuvering his blue 2001 Chevrolet Silverado to make a left turn onto Haney Road. The bike rider, unable to avoid Ashworth’s flatbed trailer, collided with it and was thrown into the air, landing severely injured on the road. The traumatic event led to the rider's airlift to Memorial Hermann Hospital, where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office Vehicular Crimes Division is actively looking into the circumstances of the crash to understand every factor that might have played a role in this tragedy. The identity of the deceased has yet to be revealed, and the investigation remains ongoing to determine the full scope of events that led to the collision. The office is requesting anyone with information to come forward to assist in piecing together this unfortunate sequence of events.
