Dump Truck Rampage

Dashcam video footage released on Sunday from three Stow police cruisers involved in a 52.5-mile chase of a stolen dump truck. The stolen dump truck, which police say was driven Saturday by a 17-year-old suspect through the streets of Stow and the highways of three counties, crashed into police cruisers and private vehicles and headed in reverse down a major road while being pursued by police before spinning and totaling a cruiser. Thatapos;s before the dump truck got out of Stow and headed down state Route 8 and Interstate 77 through Summit, Stark and Tuscarawas counties, then crashed with a flat tire into a guard rail. In parts of one cruiserapos;s video, various objects, including two bricks and a tarp, are seen being thrown from the dump truckapos;s window. Police also said a fire extinguisher was thrown out of the truck toward a line of police cars from various departments in pursuit on the highway. apos;apos;Itapos;s very strange that we get involved in a chase with a dump truck,apos;apos; said Stow Police Chief Louis A. Dirker Jr., a 36-year police veteran. apos;apos;Those arenapos;t the most agile vehicles around. The guy was so aggressive in trying to get away that he would think nothing of damaging my cruisers and putting my officers at risk.apos;apos; A Stow teen has been charged in juvenile court with three counts of felonious assault with a weapon (the truck), a count of willfully fleeing and eluding a police officer, driving with a suspended license, three counts of vandalism (of cars) and a count of receiving stolen property. apos;apos;Because of the seriousness of the charges, he could be tried as an adult,apos;apos; Dirker said. More charges are possible from the other police departments where the chase occurred. It is the Beacon Journalapos;s policy not to name minors charged in juvenile court in most cases. Juveniles apprehended Two other juveniles were in the dump truck and jumped out after the crashes with the Stow police cruisers at Fishcreek and Graham roads. A male and a female were apprehended by police. No charges have been filed against them, Dirker said, and police still are trying to determine their relationship to the driver and their level of participation. Dirker said three of his departmentapos;s cruisers were damaged, including one that was totaled. A new cruiser will cost at least $22,000, he said, and the front-end damage to another police vehicle will cost at least $5,000 to fix. Two Stow police officers were slightly injured during the pursuit. One officer bumped his head on his steering wheel when he was getting out of his cruiser as the dump truck sped backward and rammed his vehicle. Another officerapos;s leg and back were injured when his cruiser spun around after the dump track crashed into it. Police also said at least two private citizens were taken to an area hospital, but they believe everyone was treated and released.