The man climbed into a front loader early Saturday morning on the salt dome in Lake County, prompting a police chase that ultimately ended on the grounds of an elementary school.
The police were called around 5:17 a.m. following a report of a suspicious person at the Lake County engineer's office on 500 Blackbrook Road, according to a press release from the Lake County Sheriff's Office. A 54-year-old man was seen on the salt dome before climbing into the bucket of a Case 721D wheel loader and driving away.
Deputies responding to the call spotted the loader heading west on Ohio State Route 44 near Lake Shore Boulevard, and say the driver refused to stop. During the chase, the loader's speed reached only 10 miles per hour.
The attempt to use tire-deflation devices failed because the loader's tires were too thick, the sheriff's office reports.
The loader continued west on Lake Shore Boulevard, then turned north on Cordon Road toward Mentor Hailands, and then turned right onto Jordan Drive.
The loader returned to the entrance of Morton Elementary School in Mentor and traveled along the west side of the building, then stopped after a chase of approximately 3.6 miles. Police were able to arrest the suspect, although he initially refused to exit the loader.
The suspect's name has not been disclosed. He was taken to Lake County Jail.
