Libby man arrested after motorcycle chase
A 32-year-old Libby man has pleaded not guilty to four charges related to a high-speed motorcycle chase on March 28.
According to court documents, Lincoln Country Deputy Sheriff Ben Fisher was driving west on U.S. Highway 2 while on patrol when just past mile marker 29 a motorcycle travelling in the opposite direction sped by Fisher. He switched on the front-facing radar gun to register the speed of the motorcycle, but by the time he had done so the motorcycle had passed, requiring Fisher to use the rear speed gun. The rider was clocked at 124 mph.
Fisher turned his vehicle around, contacted dispatch and began to pursue the alleged rider, John Cassidy.
As Fisher neared the motorcycle, the rider turned into the second entrance of Harlow’s bus yard, where Fisher attempted to maneuver his vehicle to block the rider from exiting the lot.
The rider hit the throttle and rode passed Fisher, speeding back down the highway towards Troy.
Sheriff Roby Bowe joined in the pursuit and called ahead to the Troy Police Department to have them stage at the weigh station just east of Troy.
Fisher lost sight of the motorcycle and was unable to regain contact. Troy officer Chris Pape notified Fisher he spotted the motorcycle going 108 mph and nearly crashing while making the turn onto Highway 56.
Pape gave chase for a couple of minutes before Fisher advised him to break off the pursuit.
Fisher searched for the motorcycle up to the Sanders County line before returning back towards Libby to check for signs of a wreck.
Officer Pape and Fisher both had dashboard video of the pursuit, which they shared with their fellow officers to see if anybody recognized the rider or motorcycle.
The following day, deputy John Davis called Fisher to tell him he impounded a motorcycle registered to John Cassidy that was stashed behind the Savage Lake Fire Barn and matched the description from the previous day’s chase.
Davis also said a couple reported to Troy dispatch that they had given a man a ride to Town Pump in Troy after picking him up on Highway 2 around midnight.
The couple confirmed they picked up a man with scratched-up arms near Kootenai Falls who matched the description of Cassidy. The man told the couple he wrecked his motorcycle while eluding police and requested a ride to Libby or Troy.
On April 16, Justice of he Peace Jay Sheffield issued a warrant for the arrest of Cassidy, which was served by Fisher on April 20.
Cassidy is being held at the Lincoln County jail on four counts related to the chase. Bond has been set in the amount of $5,000.