Man who rode bike toward officer found guilty

A 20-year-old Kensington man who drove his racing motorcycle down a sidewalk at a Philadelphia police officer - who shot him in a leg after dodging the bike - was found guilty on two charges Friday by a Philadelphia jury.

The Common Pleas Court jury found John James guilty of recklessly endangering another person and attempting to flee a police officer, but acquitted him of the more serious charges of aggravated assault and possession of an instrument of crime.

Judge Willis W. Berry Jr. let James remain free on $20,000 bail pending sentencing Sept. 8.

Assistant District Attorney Edgar Jaramillo declined to specify the sentence he will seek. Defense attorney James A. Funt said that both charges were misdemeanors and that he would argue for probation.

The Sept. 15, 2009, incident involved Sgt. Richard DeCoatsworth, 25, an award-winning officer whose four-year career has been marked by three near-death experiences.

As a rookie in 2007, DeCoatsworth took a shotgun blast to the face but still chased his attacker two blocks and arrested him.

In April 2009, a mentally disturbed Logan man confronted DeCoatsworth and struggled for his gun. The gun went off, wounding the attacker, who was shot and killed by a backup officer.

In the most recent incident, DeCoatsworth was on patrol on Indiana Avenue in Kensington when he tried to stop a Suzuki Hayabusa ridden by James and Jose Colon, who police said had a gun.

The cycle, which its manufacturer says has a 1300cc engine and can go from 0 to 60 m.p.h. in 2.6 seconds, sped off and stopped at the intersection with Mascher and Dauphin Streets, where Colon got off and ran.

Police said James rode the cycle on the sidewalk, revved the engine, and charged DeCoatsworth, who dodged the bike and shot after it passed, hitting James in the leg.

"I'm a highway patrol officer in uniform who is 6-foot-1," DeCoatsworth said after the verdict. "It's not like he didn't see me. I'm just glad I'm here today with both arms and legs attached and able to talk to you."

DeCoatsworth said he was angry that Funt tried to put him on trial, portraying him as a trigger-happy cop under investigation in the incident with the Logan man.

"The department and the D.A.'s Office cleared me of all charges . . . and now he tries to vilify me in front of the jurors," DeCoatsworth said.

"His client showed a total disregard for the life and rights of ordinary people in a blue-collar residential neighborhood," he added.

Colon, 35, was arrested later and charged with fleeing police, reckless endangerment, and related counts. He goes on trial Aug. 17 before another Common Pleas Court judge.