High-speed chase leads to multiple traffic, gun charges

A felon led police on a high-speed motorcycle chase Monday that allegedly including taunting police, before crashing and being sent to the hospital.

Jeffrey Allan Horton, 28, of Pahrump was arrested on Monday and charged with several traffic violations and gun charges following a chase that included speeds in excess of 100 mph.

As deputies were apprehending Horton, they reportedly noticed that he was reaching for his waistband. After being handcuffed, deputies checked his waistband and found a .40 caliber handgun. Horton is a convicted felon from an incident in 2012 and not allowed to have a gun under state law.

According to a Nye County Sheriff’s Office press release, street crime detectives observed a dark-colored Yamaha motorcycle Monday around 10 p.m. that had an illegible license plate which was being operated by a male, later identified as Horton, without a helmet. Authorities attempted a traffic stop in the area of Medicine Man Road and Murphy Street.

When deputies, while on foot, attempted to make contact with Horton, he reportedly fled from them on the motorcycle.

As the pursuit continued, deputies noted that on several occasions, Horton would turn off the rear tail lights of the motorcycle in an attempt to conceal himself. Horton would get away and the pursuit would be stopped, and then Horton would reportedly reappear in a perceived effort to taunt authorities.

Horton would speed ahead of deputies then stop the vehicle and allow deputies to catch up with him and then speed away again.

It is estimated the motorcycle was traveling in excess of 100 mph through various residential neighborhoods and was forcing vehicles off the roadway. Additionally, deputies noted that Horton was driving on private property and endangering the motoring public with his driving. Horton repeatedly ignored stop signs, driving through them with no regard for the motoring public.

At one point, through deputy saturation, Horton was forced to decrease his speed in the area of Murphy Street and Windsong Road and deputies attempted to end the pursuit. However, Horton was able to avoid deputies by going off into the dirt, away from the pursuing deputy.

The deputy was able to maneuver his patrol vehicle around the motorcycle at which point the patrol vehicle’s fender inadvertently struck the motorcycle’s tailpipe, causing the motorcycle to spin out of control, ejecting the driver.

Beyond finding the gun, deputies subsequently learned that the motorcycle registration had expired in 2013, and Horton was driving on a suspended/revoked driver’s license which did not have a motorcycle endorsement.

Horton was transported to Desert View Hospital for non-life threatening injuries.

Police noted that Horton has prior arrests and was booked on Oct. 25, 2014 for drawing a deadly weapon in a threatening manner. That incident, according to the press release, occurred during an altercation in which Horton drew a firearm and fired it into the ground several times.

Horton is believed by police to be responsible for several prior high-speed pursuits and reckless driving incidents. That portion of the investigation is still ongoing.

After his release from the hospital, Horton will be booked into the Nye County Detention Center on charges of evade/elude police officer, driving without a valid license, no proof of insurance, reckless driving, fail to yield at stop sign, speeding, tail lamp violation, expired registration, operating a motorcycle without a helmet, operating a motorcycle without a valid motorcycle endorsement, carrying a concealed firearm without a permit, driving with a suspended license and prohibited person in possession of a firearm.