Man steals tractor and sparks police chase before digger rams him off the road

A disgruntled former construction worker led officers on one of the world’s slowest police chases after hijacking a 34-tonne digger.

The employee, later identified as Eddie Sanchez, 38, drove away in the huge yellow tractor, steering it into heavy traffic on public roads in Georgia.

Police responding to calls of a dispute at the water management firm in Gwinnett County initially gave chase in their cruisers before deciding they would need ‘heavier vehicles’.

One officer hopped into another front loader and was escorted by colleagues to where Sanchez had escaped to.

Dramatic dashcam footage released by the county police shows the pursuing digger catching up to Sanchez before attempting to overturn him.

Other officers can be heard shouting at him to ‘Flip it! Flip it!’

They can then be seen hauling him out of the cab and placing him under arrest.

Sanchez was charged with fleeing, reckless driving and criminal damage to property.

He was treated at a local hospital, after what police described as an ‘unbelievable’ pursuit.

Sanchez was reportedly fired from the company last September.

In a social media post, Gwinnett County Police said he had visited the business ‘several days prior and did something similar’.

No other motorists were injured in the pursuit and no vehicles or patrol cars were damaged, authorities said.

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