Dashcam video catches slowest police chase ever with excavator

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The slow-motion police chase in South Carolina is becoming widely known, but unfortunately for the wrong causes, as officers pursued a vehicle at a snail’s speed.

On June 15th, the police pursued a tractor-excavator along a major roadway at a pace comparable to an average person’s walking speed (about 3 miles per hour).

Based on NBC’s report, authorities probing a different case observed a vehicle crossing over U.S. Highway 78 around 3:30 AM.

In just a short while, they got a call about a break-in at a commercial property, triggered by an activated alarm. Upon arriving on the scene, they discovered that the business’s facade had been damaged, and the individual operating an excavator was charged with causing the damage.

3MPH police chase has cops apprehend excavator driver

In the footage captured by a dashboard camera, officers approached an excavator as several vehicles chased them.

Regardless of the persistent wailing of sirens and repeated requests for the driver to halt, the pursuit persisted for more than an hour, necessitating the police to briefly cease their advance on multiple occasions to avoid overtaking.

A video from a dashboard camera captures a chase involving officers and an individual operating an excavator in Ladson, as shared by the North Charleston Police Department on Wednesday. The incident took place during the weekend. (This version attempts to make the sentence more conversational while maintaining the original’s information.)

— Trooper Bob (@TrooperBob_SC) June 12, 2025

Ultimately, the excavator was driven onto the Charleston County Fairgrounds and became stuck. Trying to escape on foot, the 53-year-old operator found himself pursued by both a drone and a police dog with its handler, eventually leading to his capture.

According to KXAN, Johnny Mesa has been taken into custody and indicted for not stopping when signaled by a blue light, causing intentional damage to property, and an upgrade charge related to that property damage incident. He is currently being held in the Charleston County Detention Center with a bond set at $22,000.

It’s not uncommon for unusual police chases to grab attention in the news. For instance, earlier this year, an 19-year-old man from Utah, who was armed and seemingly high on some kind of video game excitement, shouted that he was “in a Grand Theft Auto game” while recording himself engaging in a wild chase with the police. He managed to evade capture initially by changing his car’s color, but was eventually caught when videos of the chase were shared on social media platforms, leading to his arrest.

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2025-06-18 00:15