Patrol units and a helicopter engaged in Tuesday’s slow speed pursuit of a bulldozer that was stolen from a Mohave County Road Department gravel pit in Golden Valley. Sheriff’s office spokeswoman Anita Mortensen said deputies responded at 3:15 a.m. to a report that a bulldozer was tearing up asphalt on roadways in the vicinity of Bacobi Road and Shipp Drive.
Mortensen said an attempted traffic stop was initiated once the bulldozer was spotted in the 3300 block of Bouse Road. She said the operator would not pull over.
“As the bulldozer continued north on Bouse Road, it lowered the blade, creating a trench in the road and causing damage to a waterline,” a news release stated. “The bulldozer continued on to strike and damage several mailboxes.”
Mortensen said a DPS helicopter maintained sight after the bulldozer left roadways, traversing terrain impassable for the patrol vehicles. She said the operator, Jeremy James Sterling, 35, Kingman, surrendered without further incident after the bulldozer eventually stopped at Legend Ranch Road and Oro Vista Lane.
Sterling was booked into jail for burglary, theft, unlawful flight and criminal damage charges. Mortensen said one deputy detected an odor of alcohol from Sterling and that the incident remains under investigation.
Mortensen said the stolen dozer is owned by a contractor who was storing it at the gravel pit. She said county road department personnel were dispatched to assess damage and plan repairs.
