Bad Boys... Whatcha Gonna Do?

Although police more often use ground-based radar guns to catch speeders, the 'eyes in the sky' -- police aircraft -- haven't gone away completely. Patrick Plowman can attest to that.

Police say Plowman, 22, was speeding down I-75 near Hernando, FL on his 2005 Suzuki sport bike Monday morning, often approaching speeds close to 100 mph. In fact, Plowman even outran a Florida Highway Patrol vehicle... but he couldn't elude an agency airplane that happened to be in the area.

The speeding cyclist was clocked by Sgt. Mike Cendan, flying in an FHP aircraft, traveling 95 mph in a 70 mph zone.

Although Plowman was able to elude capture by an officer who tried to stop him -- and then proceeded to weave in-and-out of traffic at over 100 mph -- FHP officers were waiting for him as Plowman exited the highway to a local trucking yard. The troopers arrested Plowman in the parking lot.

The Tampa Tribune reports that in addition to having his motorcycle seized, Plowman was also charged with aggravated fleeing to elude a law enforcement officer, reckless driving and driving on a suspended license. Plowman is currently cooling his jets in Hernando County Jail, pending bail set at $13,000.

Incidentally, the FAA registry lists nine aircraft registered to the Florida Highway Patrol -- mostly Cessna 172s and 182s, as well as one Piper PA-31. Just in case anyone else gets any bright ideas...

FMI: www.fhp.state.fl.us