Associated Press Writer

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A decorated police officer who died Thursday after his car struck a tree during a high-speed chase was remembered by his former supervisor as an energetic lawman who “wouldn’t back off when he felt a wrong needed to be righted.”

Sgt. Jonathan Dragus, 32, died a little more than eight hours after his police car careened out of control while chasing a stolen motorcycle in northwest Oklahoma City about 3 a.m. Police said Dragus lost control when a pickup truck entered an intersection in front of the officer.

The driver of the motorcycle, identified by police as Kyle Wayne Grider, 22, agreed to meet with his attorney late Thursday at the Oklahoma County Jail, where he was then escorted by officers across the street to police headquarters, Capt. Jeffrey Becker said.

“He’s currently being interviewed by investigators,” Becker said. “After the interviews are concluded they will make the final decision on the appropriate charges and book him into the Oklahoma County Jail.”

Authorities said Grider crashed the motorcycle a few minutes after Dragus collided with the tree and fled on foot.

Police Chief Bill Citty described Dragus as “extremely dedicated” and said the city had lost “a great public servant.”

“It seems like we lose the best,” Citty said.

His former supervisor, retired Lt. Paul Burley, said Dragus was focused, even overzealous at times. Dragus had been searching for the stolen motorcycle he was chasing since it was reported stolen two days earlier.

“He was what I consider, what we like to call a supervisor’s dream,” Burley said. “He made good decisions. He had a good head on his shoulders.”

Dragus, a 10-year veteran of the police department, received the departmental Life Saving Award last year for saving the life of a choking 4-day-old infant in 2003. Burley said he was also honored by a citizens group for apprehending a murder suspect from another state.

“He had a knack for being in the right place at the right time,” Burley said. “He had a great future in front of him.”

Dragus’ wife and father-in-law, who Citty declined to identify, are each city police officers. Dragus and his wife had two children.

This was not the first time Grider had been in trouble with the law. Oklahoma City police have arrested him five times, including past charges of using stolen vehicles.

Police said he could face charges of second-degree murder, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and felony attempting to elude police.

A passenger on the motorcycle, Chelsea Free, 16, jumped off during the chase and was later arrested for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Free was booked into the Community Intervention Center and is cooperating with police, authorities said.

A witness reported that the pickup involved in Dragus’ collision drove through a red light before the crash and left the scene after the accident, officials said.

The driver of the pickup was later located by police and is cooperating in the investigation. His identity was not released and police said a decision has not been made on whether he will face charges.

Dragus is the 30th Oklahoma City police officer to die in the line of duty and the first since Aug. 31, 2000, when Officer Jeffrey Rominger was killed in a high-speed chase.