A motorcyclist blew past a Benton County Sheriff's Office deputy at roughly 101 miles per hour in a posted 50 mph zone last Friday, then kept accelerating to speeds estimated above 150 mph while fleeing along Highway 99W near Airport Road south of Corvallis. Four days later, deputies still don't have a name for the rider and are asking the public for help.
According to the Benton County Sheriff's Office, as reported by KATU, a deputy attempted to stop the motorcycle near Airport Road on Highway 99W around 2:11 p.m. on September 11. The rider, possibly aboard a BMW S 1000 RR, did not stop and instead accelerated well past triple-digit speeds as the deputy tried to catch up.
That model of motorcycle is built for exactly that kind of acceleration. The BMW S 1000 RR is a 999 cc superbike with ShiftCam variable valve timing that produces more than 200 horsepower, according to BMW Motorrad — more than enough machine to widen the gap between the rider and a pursuing patrol car in seconds.
A Dangerous Stretch of Highway 99W
The attempted stop played out on a stretch of Highway 99W south of Corvallis near Airport Road, as described in the report from Philomath News. It's not clear from the available material whether the corridor has seen other high-speed eluding cases.
Motorcycles have caused their own share of trouble on nearby roads, too. In an earlier incident, a 20-year-old rider was injured and cited after attempting to elude a Benton County Sheriff's deputy on Philomath Boulevard, a chase that ended in a collision with a patrol vehicle.
What the Rider Could Be Facing
Under Oregon Revised Statutes, fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer while operating a motor vehicle is a Class C felony, carrying up to five years in prison and fines as high as $125,000, according to Oregon law as codified at ORS 811.540. The cited material does not establish additional driver's-license consequences or an appellate ruling on them.
The speed alone could stack on more penalties. Exceeding a posted limit by more than 30 mph is a Class A traffic violation under ORS 811.109. The available material does not establish whether the reported conduct would support a separate reckless-driving charge or what penalties would apply.
How to Report a Sighting
The sheriff's office is asking anyone who sees the motorcycle to note its license plate, location, direction of travel, and any identifying features about the rider, then pass that information along rather than intervening directly. Deputies specifically warned the public not to stop, follow, or confront the rider.
Tips can be sent to [email protected] or phoned in to the anonymous tip line at 541-753-8477. The sheriff's office is referencing the case under number 2026-02085 for anyone who calls or emails with information.
The case concerns extreme highway speeding. For now, the identity of the Highway 99W rider — and whether any business or dashcam footage captured a clearer look at the motorcycle's plate — remains unknown.
