LAKE COUNTY, Ohio — A 54-year-old man is in custody after leading police on a chase in a wheel loader that he allegedly stole in Painesville Township.
According to the Lake County Sheriff's Office, deputies were called to the Lake County Engineer's Office at around 5:17 a.m. on Saturday for a suspicious person.
Officials say that a man entered the salt dome and then climbed up into a CASE 721D wheel loader and drove it off the property. Lake County Sheriff's deputies located the wheel loader on State Route 44 at Lakeshore Blvd.
Deputies attempted to stop the wheel loader, but the suspect failed to comply, ensuing a slow speed chase. The chase continued west on Lakeshore Boulevard and turned north onto Corduroy Road traveling into the Mentor Headlands area.
Officials requested assistance from the Mentor Police Department and attempted to use tire deflation devices, but due to the thickness of the tire size, it was ineffective.
"The suspect continued north on Corduroy Road turning right onto Jordan Drive. The suspect turned into the entrance of Morton Elementary School and drove along the west side of the building eventually coming to a stop," said the Lake County Sheriff's Office on Facebook.
Deputies approached the wheel loader and arrested the 54-year-old man after he refused to exit the wheel loader. The suspect is being held at the Lake County Jail.
