Stolen Dump Truck Leads Ohio Cops On 50-Mile Chase

STOW, Ohio (CBS) Police in Ohio say a 50-mile pursuit of a stolen dump truck had officers dodging bricks hurled from its window and even the truck itself when it suddenly went into reverse.

Police cruiser video shows the truck striking police cars and several civilian vehicles during Saturday's chase through parts of three northeast Ohio counties.

"It's very strange that we get involved in a chase with a dump truck," Stow Police Chief Louis A. Dirker Jr., a 36-year police veteran, told The Akron Beacon Journal. "Those aren't the most agile vehicles around."

Still, it did take 50 miles for the police to put a stop to the chase, probably because of the unstoppable nature of the target, and the seeming fearlessness of the driver.

"The guy was so aggressive in trying to get away that he would think nothing of damaging my cruisers and putting my officers at risk," Dirker told the paper.

The alleged driver also may not fit the mold of your typical truck thief. The Beacon Journal reports that authorities have charged a 17-year-old suspect with multiple juvenile court charges including felonious assault with a weapon - namely, the truck.

The pursuit began after the truck was reported stolen in Stow, about 25 miles southeast of Cleveland. The dash-cam video shows police having to dodge various flying objects, including bricks and a tarp, that were periodically thrown from the truck's window.

Dirker says one of his cruisers was totaled and two others were damaged. Two officers were treated for injuries related to the chase.

Two other juveniles were allegedly in the truck at the time, but bailed out mid-chase after the first couple of crashes with police cruisers. They were apprehended by police but have not been charged, according to the Beacon Journal.

Dirker says it's possible that the alleged driver could be charged as an adult because of the seriousness of the charges.