Man stole garbage truck to flee, say Colo. cops

BOULDER, Colo. -- A man accused of stealing a garbage truck in Boulder may have done it to avoid police officers responding to an unrelated call near his home, but who he thought were coming for him.

The Boulder Daily Camera reports that a neighbor told police that 26-year-old Daniel Morkert got "freaked" when officers arrived in the area Wednesday afternoon.

According to the police report, Morkert came out of his apartment building with his pit bull and asked an officer if he could borrow his patrol car. The officer - understandably - assumed he was joking. But instead, Morkert then allegedly got into a nearby garbage truck with his dog while the driver was out moving a dumpster, and took off.

The driver for Western Disposal had left his keys in the vehicle when he got out.

Morkert led officers on a low-speed chase on U.S. 36. Then they reportedly placed "stop sticks" on the highway, following Morkert at about 30 mph, until he exited and crashed over a median in Broomfield. He faces charges of auto theft, careless driving and eluding a police officer.

No one was hurt in the chase.