Man crashes motorcycle after high-speed pursuit

By Owen Boss

Staff Writer

BELCHERTOWN - A Springfield man faces a slew of charges after reportedly leading police on a high-speed motorcycle chase through Belchertown Tuesday and eventually crashing near a bridge in Athol.

Bradford Hull, 20, of 75 Birchland Ave., pleaded innocent Wednesday in Eastern Hampshire District Court to charges of failure to stop for police, driving to endanger, operating an unregistered motorcycle, unlicensed operation of a motorcycle, operating an uninsured motorcycle and attaching a false license plate to a motorcycle.

According to court documents, at 10 p.m., officer Niel T. Lozier attempted to pull Hull over on Maple Street after noticing that the inspection sticker on his license plate was expired and his rear light was dim.

After activating his lights and siren, Lozier reported that Hull increased speed and began passing vehicles in a no-passing zone on North Main Street. Hull reportedly continued north on Daniel Shays Highway, at one point reaching speeds over 80 mph in a 50-mph zone. After about 25 miles, Hull reportedly lost control of the motorcycle and crashed next to a bridge in Athol.

"There was a bridge under construction and I guess he panicked and laid the bike down," Sgt. Bruce Jenks said. "His bike was damaged and he had some road rash, but refused treatment."

Hull reportedly told Lozier he only had a permit to operate a motorcycle and that he had attached an expired license plate to it knowing that it was unregistered and uninsured.

Hull is scheduled to reappear in court for a pretrial conference July 6.