Slow-speed Chase: Police Pursue Burglary Suspect Driving a Tractor Excavator at a Crawl

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. — In an unusual turn of events, police in South Carolina engaged in a slow-speed pursuit of a tractor excavator on Sunday morning. The chase lasted over an hour, with the excavator reaching a maximum speed of just 3 mph. Around 3:30 a.m., officers on a separate call noticed the construction equipment, complete with treads and a front shovel, crossing U.S. Highway 78.

Moments later, they received a burglary report from a nearby business that had sustained significant damage, prompting them to investigate the excavator moving slowly away from the scene. As the pursuit began, officers from several cruisers joined in, trying to keep pace with the sluggishly moving machine. The excavator progressed so slowly that police vehicles had to pause intermittently to avoid overtaking it.

Officers deployed their blue lights and sirens, urging the driver to stop via loudspeakers, while other police units worked to block oncoming traffic. After an arduous hour and 12 minutes, the chase concluded when the excavator veered onto the Charleston County Fairgrounds property and became stuck. The driver attempted to flee the scene but was tracked by a drone and ultimately apprehended by a police dog and handler.

The 53-year-old driver now faces multiple charges, including failure to stop for a blue light and two counts of malicious injury to real property. He is currently being held at the Charleston County jail with a bond set at $22,000, according to jail records.