loader chase – A driver of a front-end loader led police on a slow chase in Millbury, nearly hitting utility poles and swerving into traffic before being taken into custody.
A front-end loader fleeing police at a crawl turned into a tense public safety incident in a Massachusetts town.
Misryoum reports that Millbury police received a call around 9:20 p.m. Saturday about a construction vehicle operating erratically on Route 20 eastbound. Officers were initially unable to find the driver and loader, but they soon located the vehicle on Park Hill Avenue.
Police said the driver failed to respond to emergency lights from a cruiser, and a slow-speed pursuit followed at about 10 to 15 mph. During the incident, officers reported the loader nearly struck multiple utility poles and veered toward oncoming traffic.
This kind of low-speed, high-risk driving can be especially dangerous because it still puts pedestrians, other drivers, and critical infrastructure within the path of a vehicle that is difficult to maneuver in traffic.
The chase later continued onto Martin Street. According to Misryoum, an assisting officer moved a cruiser in front of the loader to force it to stop.
After the vehicle was shut off, police said the driver refused orders to exit. Officers then removed the driver without further incident, Misryoum reported. The driver, identified as Kelvin Ucles-Flores, 21, of Worcester, was taken into custody.
Police have not disclosed the specific charges or what prompted the erratic driving, and the incident remains under investigation.
For residents, the case is a reminder that even brief roadside incidents can quickly escalate when vehicles are operated unpredictably, and that officers often have to balance restraint with the need to stop a moving threat.
In this context, authorities will likely focus on what led to the erratic behavior and why the driver did not comply with directions during the stop.