Officers in the Virginia State Police probably couldn’t believe their ears when they received the call – a tank-like military vehicle had been spotted speeding down an interstate highway.
If some feared the incident was the first sign of a military coup, they were no doubt relieved to learn that it was just a soldier from a nearby military base, out for an evening joyride.
Footage of the incident posted online on Tuesday shows the armored vehicle, which is the property of the Virginia National Guard and not equipped with any weaponry, topping out at around 40 miles per hour, meaning that the ensuing cop chase appears more like a police escort at times.
This is INSANE! Someone has hijacked a “Tank-like” vehicle from Fort Pickett and just drove it by our apartment! This is on Broad Street in the Fan. pic.twitter.com/EYfhFux1dk
— Parker Slaybaugh (@ParkerSlay89) June 6, 2018
Police pursued the vehicle for 60 miles from Nottoway County, near Fort Pickett where the tank was stolen, to Richmond, where the soldier stopped at around 9.40pm local time. There were no injuries or accidents in the pursuit.
https://twitter.com/bqueezy7/status/1004181743631552512
Brother in law is a SWAT officer in the #RVA area and snapped this picture tonight of the crazy tank like vehicle that fled from Fort Pickett. Chase ended downtown near the Children’s Hospital. pic.twitter.com/4GYy7r0BC6
— C. H. Baird (@CyrusBaird) June 6, 2018
“The adult male driver is now in police custody. The incident is under investigation and charges are currently pending at this time. It sounds like [the driver] pretty much stopped of his own accord,” a police spokesperson said of the incident.
Give em hell brother!!
Wanna nuther beer?
Hey fellas…
I’m gonna take the F-16 for a spin.
I’ll be right back.
You guys want me to getcha anything while I’m at the store ?
Oh there’s more than a few things you could get for us all with that kind of power
All of them filthy politicians for starters
Personally I’d like an A10 , that Gatling gun is mean as hell ,, Burrrrrrrrttttt
The last guy that tried that was killed by cops when he opened the hatch.
Maybe he just wanted out of the Army.
If he had any evil intent he would have grabbed something a little more damaging.
“It sounds like [the driver] pretty much stopped of his own accord,”
60 miles?
He probably ran out of gas.
When the Gestapo stopped him, it is a wonder that they did not kill him.