In what has to be one of the slowest police chases ever, Lake County Sheriff's Office deputies were involved in a pursuit that went for three miles and topped out at a speed of 10 mph.
According to authorities, it started just after 5 a.m. on Jan. 20 at the Lake County Engineer's Office, 550 Blackbook Road, Painesville Township.
Deputies responded to the scene after a man was spotted in the salt dome. Moments later, he got into a Case 721D wheel loader and drove off.
Deputies caught up to him as he was heading west on Lakeshore Boulevard and chased followed him. The man refused to stop, so authorities say they used tire deflation devices, but since the loader's tread was so thick, they weren't affected.
Eventually, the driver, later identified as a 54-year-old man, stopped at Morton Elementary School and was taken into custody. He's been charged with theft of a motor vehicle and vandalism.
The sheriff's office said the total distance of the pursuit was 3.61 miles.
