A man from Bear, Del. Is free on bail after State Police reported that he stole his own truck with the help of a front end loader and later led troopers on a chase while driving the same piece of construction equipment. The escapade ended when he drove the vehicle into a pond in a housing development.
Troopers were called early Saturday morning to the Stop-N-Go off Christiana Road in New Castle.The business owner was notified that part of the fence around the complex was torn down. It was later learned that a 1999 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck was missing.
- File photo of front end loader with lift attachment. This is not the actual machine.
Surveillance video showed that a front end loader with a forklift attachment was seen carrying the pickup truck.
The store owner then attempted to contact the truck’s owner . A few moments later, Donald A. Smith II, 30, phoned back and said he had taken his truck back and confirmed that he had used his front end loader to retrieve it. Troopers said Smith had not paid Stop-N-Go for the work on the pickup and wanted the vehicle back.
At 1:15 a.m., troopers learned that a man was operating a front end loader in the parking lot of Pockets Restaurant and Tavern at 315 South DuPont Highway, New Castle.
Troopers were told the front end loader had entered a heavily wooded area behind Pockets. It later traveled southbound on U.S. Route 13.
The oader as it made its way across the center median and for a time traveled southbound in the northbound lanes before crossing back over to the southbound lane. The pursuit of the front end loader lasted approximately 35 minutes as the vehicle traveled through a private driveway and into the Chaddwyck development before crossing back over Route 13 and into a corn field where troopers stopped their pursuit.
The loader was then spotted driving between two homes. Smith was unaware of the retention pond located behind the houses and drove the loader into the pond.
Smith was able to exit from the front end loader and swim to the shore where he was taken into custody without incident. He was arraignmed on numerous charges and released on $5,750 secured bond.
