Image via Facebook user Aleshia Candy
A 60-year-old man on a mobility scooter led authorities on what might actually be the most slow-paced police chase of all time, criss-crossing through the suburban streets and traffic of Timaru, New Zealand last week as officers made multiple attempts to pull him over. Footage from the incident shows the police car in hot pursuit of double amputee Charlie Durham as he takes off down the footpath at speeds that officers allegedly deemed dangerous, The Guardian reports.“Go old man, go!” the people filming the video exclaim, as the police car—lights flashing—tries and fails to block Durham’s path. Not once, not twice, but thrice, Durham lazily weaves around the vehicle as though it’s a completely unremarkable obstruction—at one point crossing two lanes of traffic to escape to the other side of the road.“The rider refused to stop and actively avoided the police patrol car,” New Zealand police later said in a statement. “This continued for a period of time with the officer trying to stop the rider multiple times, and the scooter rider actively avoiding the officer’s attempts to stop him.”“Ultimately, the safe use of the mobility scooter by the rider was the aim of the officer,” they added.
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While the footage doesn’t show it, police did eventually catch up to Durham and slapped him with two infringement tickets: one for operating a mobility scooter “inconsiderately” and another for failing to stop for an officer. The total fine came to $250 NZD (approx. $160 USD).Durham, in his own defence, told TVNZ that he thought the police car was an ice cream van and he didn't want an ice cream. He further said that he needed to get home to put his tea on, otherwise his whole evening would have been “stuffed up."“I thought he [the police officer] was causing himself more harm and other people on the road than what he was to me,” Durham said. “There’s all sorts of things the police could be doing rather than chasing me.”Follow Gavin on Twitter or Instagram