- Holmes Beach police arrested Maxim Tkachev, 25, of Bradenton, April 14 on a third-degree felony charge for fleeing or eluding law enforcement officers with active emergency lights and sirens.
An officer saw a motorcyclist at about 6:26 p.m. driving in the bicycle lane on Gulf Drive to pass other vehicles, prompting the officer to follow the motorcyclist and activate a stop.
The motorcyclist then illegally passed a bus loading and unloading passengers on East Bay Drive and, after noticing the officer, began accelerating and passing other motorists using the bike lane.
Motorists pulling off to the roadside for the officer slowed the motorcyclist, who was cut off by the officer in the 2700 block of Gulf Drive.
The officer saw the motorcyclist look toward a gap between a golf cart and his police vehicle, so the officer drew his handgun and issued verbal commands to the motorcyclist.
The officer arrested the motorcyclist, later identified as Tkachev, and transported him to the Holmes Beach Police Department for processing.
There, Tkachev told police he did not know the officer had been trying to stop him until he had parked next to him and said he believed police had a “no chase” rule for motorcycles.
The officer issued Tkachev a citation for driving in a bike lane, then transported him to the Manatee County jail.
Tkachev was released April 15 into the county’s pretrial services program, which provides restrictions and probationary supervision.
If convicted, punishment for a third-degree felony charge includes up to five years in prison, five years of probation and a fine of up to $5,000.
An arraignment will be at 9 a.m. Friday, May 26, at the Manatee County Judicial Center, 1051 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.
