Bluffton man leads cops on chase in a construction truck ... until he crashed

A 45-year-old Bluffton man was arrested Thursday night after driving a construction truck erratically across a significant portion of Beaufort County and refusing to pull over for a traffic stop, according to a Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office report.

Several reports were made of a construction truck swerving between lanes, speeding and repeatedly running off the side of the road Thursday afternoon and evening, according to the report. The first call came from Robert Smalls Parkway and Savannah Highway near the Burton area. Calls continued to come in, describing the same vehicle on Okatie Highway heading west.

A deputy caught up with the truck near Mill Creek Boulevard and saw the vehicle strike curbs and run off the road, over correct and then swerve back, crossing the center line. After the driver refused to pull over for a traffic stop, he eventually crashed the truck into a group of trees in the New Riverside community near Alston Park Drive. He began to run from the truck after he realized it was stuck, but he tripped and fell, leading to his arrest.

He allegedly told the deputy he “loved cops,” hadn’t endangered anybody and just wanted to go home. He asked if the deputy could do him a favor and just take him home.

The man faces charges of driving under the influence, fleeing to evade arrest and failure to stop for blue lights, according to online Beaufort County Detention Center records. He was held in the detention center Thursday night and released on bond Friday afternoon. His bond information was not available in online Beaufort County court records Sunday morning.

This story was originally published October 15, 2017 at 11:16 AM with the headline "Bluffton man leads cops on chase in a construction truck ... until he crashed."