Motorcyclist killed Sunday morning in Lawrence, independent investigation underway

A motorcyclist fleeing from police was killed early Sunday morning in Lawrence.

Lawrence Police say just after 1 a.m. Sunday, a Lawrence Police officer initiated a traffic stop on a motorcycle for a traffic violation near Monterey Way and Bob Billings Parkway. The motorcycle failed to stop and fled the area at a high rate of speed. After a brief pursuit, the officer terminated the pursuit and left the area after losing sight of the motorcycle.

Just after 5:30 a.m., a motorist called dispatch to ask for a welfare check on what they believed to be a jogger in distress in the 5700 block of Bob Billings Parkway. Officers arrived in the area and observed a motorcycle had crashed and the driver was dead.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is investigating due to the officer involvement.

The Lawrence Police Department’s Office of Professional Accountability was notified and the officer involved in the incident was placed on Administrative Leave, per Department Policy. Following the completion of the investigation conducted by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, a separate internal review will be conducted by the Lawrence Police Department to determine whether or not policies and procedures were followed.