VIDEO: Police chase excavator during extremely slow-speed pursuit in South Carolina

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – Police in South Carolina released video Wednesday of a low-speed pursuit involving an excavator.

Officers with the North Charleston Police Department were responding to another call around 3 a.m. when they noticed a Komatsu excavator crossing over U.S. Highway 78, heading toward a Hispanic grocery market.

In their report, the agency said the excavator was seen driving on the highway in front of the officers just before a burglary alarm was received from the business.

Officers arrived at the market to find the front of the business had been freshly damaged and destroyed, according to the incident report.

Police attempted to stop the excavator, but the driver, later identified as 53-year-old Johnny Mesa Jr., refused to stop and led officers on a very slow-speed chase along US 78. In their report, police said the excavator was traveling at around 3 mph for roughly an hour and 12 minutes, despite repeated calls over the loudspeaker for the driver to stop.

Deputies with the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office worked with North Charleston officers to block traffic intersections. The excavator eventually entered a fairgrounds in Ladson, where it got stuck.

The suspect attempted to flee but was ultimately captured with help from a Charleston County K-9 unit.

Mesa was arrested on charges of failure to stop for a blue light, malicious injury to real property, and malicious injury to real property enhancement. He was booked into the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center.

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