The child led Ann Arbor police on a bizarre chase that lasted well over an hour, fortunately without anyone getting injured
November 28, 2023 at 12:01
Over the weekend, the Ann Arbor Police Department was involved in a pursuit that was unusual for a number of reasons. First, the vehicle they were chasing down was a forklift. Second, the driver was a 12-year-old child.
The department received a call at around 6:45 p.m. on Saturday, November 25, after a forklift was reported stolen near a local middle school. Shortly after, the police found the vehicle, driving at a speed of roughly 15 to 20 mph (24-32 km/h).
The forklift was identified as a Construction Genie GTH-636 Telehandler, which can weigh up to 35,000 pounds, and whose key was hidden inside the cab, reports Mlive. The weight of the vehicle, and its front attachment, made slowing it down difficult.
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In a video of the incident, police can be heard warning each other to stay away from the front of the vehicle because of the danger posed by the forklift attachment. That meant that the Ann Arbor Police Department chased the boy from 6:45 until around 7:20, when he left the city limits via the M-14 bridge. Afterward, the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office picked up the chase.
The sheriff’s deputies pursued the forklift until just before 8:00 p.m. when the boy finally stopped the vehicle. It’s worth wondering if it was his bedtime. Fortunately, no injuries were reported as a result of the joyride. However, it did result in damage to approximately 10 parked cars and the downing of several road signs.
“This was a very dangerous situation that could’ve easily ended with serious injuries,” police said in a statement. “The incident remains an active and ongoing criminal investigation.”
Following the chase, the boy was lodged at a juvenile detention center. He was not identified because he is a minor.