Springfield police have just released the name of the victim who was killed an early morning motorcycle crash. His name was Curt Russell, 30, from Battlefield. Springfield Police Lieutenant Kirk Manlove says the accident happened about 2:30 this morning when an officer tried to stop Russell for not having a back license plate. When the officer's lights came on, Russell took off, and when it became apparent he would not stop, the officer ended the stop, but the rider kept going. Manlove says at one point, Russell went airborne, and crashed at Mt. Vernon and Homewood. He later died at the hospital.
updated 12:20pm 7/2/08