What not to do

You see guys run all the time . . . .where they were . .it is a chain of islands with ONE main road . .not sure where they thought they were going to go. Stupid.
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Three friends spotted speeding on their motorcycles Sunday night in the Florida Keys stepped on the gas when deputies tried to pull them over, reaching speeds of more than 100 mph as they tried to flee down curvy, busy U.S. 1.

It was a deadly decision. Jonathan Wiringer, 23, of Boca Raton, died after crashing into a truck, trees and a fence. Travis Limbaugh and Andrew Chersin kept going, but were arrested within an hour at different locations in Miami-Dade County.

Deputy Kenneth Brand with the Monroe County Sheriff's Office crashed his patrol car after attempting to stop the speeding motorcyclists, but was uninjured.

Said Monroe County Sheriff Bob Peryam: ``The potential for a bigger disaster was there. U.S. 1 is our Main Street, with traffic pulling in and out.''

The pursuit began at about 10:40 p.m., when a deputy witnessed the motorcyclists speeding north on U.S. 1 in Islamorada.

``I don't even think he followed for a half mile, and the guys were so far gone,'' Peryam said. ``He stopped and radioed ahead.''

There is a no-pursuit policy in the Keys because of safety issues, Peryam said.

Two other marked patrol cars chased Sunday night for a short distance, with their sirens and lights activated.

At Mile Marker 93, Wiringer, who was wearing a helmet, attempted to negotiate between two vehicles driving side-by-side on the two northbound lanes.

``He struck a pickup truck driver's door and lost control, sliding across the shoulder and into several trees and a fence,'' said Florida Highway Patrol spokesman Pat Santangelo. ``He died on the scene.''

Brand was less than a mile behind in his patrol car when he lost control on wet pavement, slid through the median and stopped after hitting a stop sign and chain link fence, Santangelo said.

Limbaugh, 23, of Boynton Beach, and Chersin, 22, of Plantation, did not stop for their friend. One took the 18-mile stretch out of the Keys. The other took the alternate Card Sound Road.

``It's not uncommon for motorcyclists to see police, hit the gas and ride off into the sunset,'' Santangelo said. ``They know it's hard to catch them in a police car.''

But at 11:17 p.m., Limbaugh got caught in Sunday traffic leaving the Keys. He was apprehended at Mile Marker 126, Santangelo said.

Seventeen minutes later, Chersin stopped at a gas station in Homestead and was arrested. Both were taken to the Monroe County Detention Center.

Limbaugh was charged with three second-degree felony counts of fleeing and eluding police with the disregard of the safety of a person or property. He also was charged with drunk driving, with a blood alcohol level of .14, Santangelo said.

Chersin was charged with four counts of fleeing and eluding police.

Santangelo said more charges could be filed if the Monroe County State Attorney's Office decides the men are accountable in the death of their friend. FHP is investigating the crash.

Limbaugh and Chersin also were issued traffic citations, including speeding in excess of 50 miles over the speed limit.

A new law went into effect in October to curb excessive speeding. It imposes a minimum fine of $1,000 for the first offense, and a $2,500 fine and mandatory loss of license for a year on the second offense. A third conviction means a $5000 fine and 10-year loss of license.