CHICORA — A Butler man accused of fleeing from police on a motorcycle last month pleaded not guilty at a preliminary hearing Tuesday.

Shane Bates, 29, appeared in court virtually before District Judge Lewis Stoughton. He remains in Butler County Prison in lieu of $75,000 bond.

In addition to a felony charge of fleeing from an officer, Bates also was charged with seven traffic citations related to the chase on June 10.

Attorney Douglas Sughrue entered the plea on his client's behalf, before the court listened to testimony from arresting Trooper Philip Treadway.

According to Treadway, he saw Bates swerve across lines on the road. He said he noticed the rider wore a backpack and was riding a light-colored Kawasaki motorcycle.

During cross-examination, Sughrue established that Treadway never saw Bates' face by asking if the trooper saw a helmet on the rider.

“I noted the bookbag, but I could not see the helmet,” Treadway said.

According to Treadway, when he tried to conduct a traffic stop, Bates continued at a high rate of speed.

“I was traveling slightly over 70 mph, and at most points, the motorcycle was still pulling away,” Treadway said.

Treadway stopped the pursuit when the rider pulled onto Cornell Drive.

“Once I realized Cornell Drive had only one exit, I secured the exit for additional units,” he said.

Treadway said residents in the area pointed him toward a home owned by Bates' parents. He said the motorcycle was found near a shed on the property. It had been covered by a sheet and was warm to the touch.

Treadway said a backpack similar to the one he saw on the rider was found in the home, and when they confronted Bates about the chase, he directed them to his ankle monitor. The monitor is part of Bates' probation.

Treadway said he did gather the GPS data from the tracker, which gave coordinates and speed data.

“Points located there correlated to the second with the pursuit,” he said. “Unless Mr. Bates was running at a high rate of speed, there was no one else on the roadway.”

In his argument to dismiss the case, Sughrue said despite the data, there wasn't enough evidence to tie Bates to the motorcycle.

“Basically, the trooper is putting pieces together to provide a proper identification,” he said. “At most we have a motorcycle found at a home with a family, most of whom can operate motorcycles.”

Assistant District Attorney Terri Schultz said there was enough evidence for a jury trial.

“Mr. Bates did not pull over,” she said. “The GPS we have to use, because that's what we rely on for so many things.”

Stoughton moved forward all charges against Bates to the Butler County Court of Common Pleas. A formal arraignment for Bates has been scheduled for Aug. 31.