Gwinnett County Police out of Georgia shared must-see video of a police chase during which officers deployed heavy equipment to stop a suspect in a stolen front loader.
The incident began around 11 a.m. on March 23 when police were called to a waste management business in unincorporated Norcross, Georgia, for a report that a former employee had stolen a front loader and was driving it around the property.
Police tried to stop the heavy equipment, but the driver, later identified as Eddie Sanchez, 38, refused to comply. The front loader exited the business and travelled onto busy public roadways as multiple law enforcement agencies pursued.
In a news release, the Gwinnett County Police describe how officers decided to try to use other pieces of heavy equipment to the stop the stolen front loader:
As other officers pursued the suspect, the initial responding officer returned to the business to get another large construction vehicle that could disable the fleeing suspect. A trash truck and another front loader were escorted by officers to the fleeing suspect several miles away.
The suspect in the stolen front loader turned left onto Brook Hollow Parkway and then right onto Center Way. He turned left onto Oakbrook Parkway, right on Pirkle Road, and then left on Singleton Road. Officers were using their patrol cars to block traffic. After turning onto Singleton Road, the pursuing front loader made contact with the suspect and flipped the vehicle onto its side. The pursuit came to an end on Singleton Road and Robin Hill Drive. This is approximately five miles from the original incident location.
Sanchez received medical attention and was arrested without further incident.
Police say that Sanchez was terminated from the business in September 2023, and that he had visited the business several days before stealing the front loader.
Sanchez was charged with Criminal Trespass, Theft by Taking, Fleeing or Attempting to Elude, Reckless Driving, Criminal Damage to Property 2nd Degree, and Obstruction of a Law Enforcement Officer.