Cops arrest man after three-hour pursuit through California in massive lorry ‘carrying hazardous waste’
The alleged thief finally stopped and surrendered after the pursuit across 'Badlands' of California
A MAN who "stole" a big rig and told cops he "didn't want to go to go back to jail" led police on a three hour chase across California in a juggernaut thought to be carrying hazardous waste.
The pursuit started around 10.30am on Tuesday morning when the man was picked up by authorities driving the vehicle between Barstow and Victorville, in the US state.
It had been reported stolen at 6am that morning by its driver, who noticed his truck was gone when he woke up in his hotel room.
The driver refused to pull over for three hours and was pursued across the state, including an area called Badlands, through the Yucca Valley, near the Joshua Tree National Park, until he finally surrendered at Whitewater.
He got out of the truck and sank to his knees as cops handcuffed him.
The truck, which was owned by ACT Enviro, was at one point thought to have been carrying hazardous material.
However Walter Singer, president of ACT Enviro, which owns the truck and its trailer, said the vehiclewas carrying non-RCRA material, or material that does not meet the definition of hazardous waste under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.
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He told the the material was essentially worthless.
Non-RCRA material may include corrosive solid materials, according to the California Dept. of Toxic Substances Control.
He confirmed the contents was not flammable, explosive, acidic, biologic or radioactive.
The alleged thief took out the primary GPS tracking device but not the second one. And it was the active one which enabled cops to find the truck when it had been stolen.
ACT Enviro says on it it disposes hazardous waste.