NEAR KINGMAN, Ariz. (FOX 10) -- Officials with the Mohave County Sheriff's Office said a 35-year-old man has been arrested, after he led authorities on a chase in a stolen bulldozer early Tuesday morning.
According to an incident report released by the Mohave County Sheriff's Office Tuesday afternoon, Jeremy James Sterling of Kingman has been arrested on multiple charges of criminal damage, burglary, theft, and unlawful flight from law enforcement. The incident began at around 3:15 a.m., when deputies were sent to the area of Bacobi Road and Shipp Drive, located west of Kingman, for calls of a bulldozer traveling on the roads and tearing up the asphalt. Deputies then found the bulldozer on the 3300 block of Bouse Road, and tried to stop it. The driver, however, did not comply.
As the bulldozer continued north of Bouse Road, Officials with the Mohave County Sheriff's Office said Sterling lowered a blade on the bulldozer, which created a trench on the road and caused damage to a waterline. The bulldozer then went on to strike and damage several mailboxes. An Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) helicopter then responded to the scene, and tracked the bulldozer as it went off into terrain that was impassible for patrol cars.
The bulldozer, according to officials with the Mohave County Sheriff's Office, came to a stop at Legend Ranch Road and Oro Vista Lane, and deputies attempted a high-risk stop on the driver. Sterling was given verbal commands to leave the vehicle, to which he complied. Sterling was then arrested and taken to the Mohave County Adult Detention Facility without incident.
Officials with the Mohave County Sheriff's Office said the bulldozer was stolen from the Mohave County Road Department gravel pit, where a contractor was storing the bulldozer. Mohave County Road Department workers have responded to the area, and are assessing the damage caused to the roads. An investigation is ongoing.
This story was reported on from Phoenix.