3 MPH of Fury: Police in Crawl-Speed Pursuit of Burglar

Before dawn in North Charleston, South Carolina, a police chase unfolded that could generously be described as glacial. The suspect? A man behind the controls of a full-sized tractor excavator. The speed? A heart-pounding 3 mph — about the pace of a casual stroll through the park. Officers first noticed the construction vehicle rolling slowly across U.S. Highway 78 around 3:30 a.m. Sunday while they were handling an unrelated call. Moments later, a report came in of a burglary at a nearby business that had sustained significant damage. It didn’t take a detective to put two and two together.

‘Stop the Excavator’: Sirens, Loudspeakers, and a Whole Lot of Patience

Police quickly responded, kicking off what could only be called a “not-so-hot pursuit.” With blue lights flashing and sirens blaring, several patrol cars formed a convoy — not to corner the suspect, but to avoid overtaking him.

The chase lasted 72 minutes as the excavator lumbered down the highway. Officers had to constantly stop and start to keep pace. They repeatedly told the driver via loudspeakers that he was under arrest and needed to stop. He did not oblige.

Traffic was blocked. Patrol cars leapfrogged ahead. One can only imagine the reaction from sleepy onlookers — not that many people are out for a Sunday morning drive at 4 a.m. in North Charleston.

When an Excavator Meets a Fairground Fence

Eventually, the suspect turned off the main road and attempted a daring escape by driving the excavator onto the Charleston County Fairgrounds property.

That plan went south fast.

The excavator got stuck, likely due to the terrain, or perhaps, the vehicle just ran out of steam.

Undeterred, the driver jumped down and made a run for it. His brief foot chase was monitored by drone and concluded with the assistance of a police dog and handler.

Who Was Behind the Wheel?

According to police, the man was 53 years old. Authorities charged him with failure to stop for a blue light and two counts of malicious injury to real property. As of press time, he remained in Charleston County Jail with bond set at $22,000.

No injuries were reported, though the suspect’s pride — and possibly the fairgrounds — may have suffered a few dents. As for the excavator? It’s likely grounded for a while.

This bizarre scene might not win any awards for intensity, but it certainly earned its place in the annals of strange police pursuits. After all, it’s not every day officers chase a suspect who could be caught — on foot.

References: Not-so-hot pursuit of burglary suspect sees police cars chase tractor excavator at walking pace | Not-so-hot pursuit of burglary suspect sees police cars chase tractor excavator at walking pace | Slow-speed police chase: South Carolina cops pursue excavator at 3 mph for over an hour