Tractor Chase Suspect Faces Judge Days After Downtown Chase

DENVER (CBS4) - The man accused of stealing a Denver Water tractor and taking it for a joy ride through downtown Denver causing a police chase on a busy Friday night faced a judge on Tuesday.

Thomas Busch, 37, appeared in court to be advised he is being held on a variety of charges. Busch told the judge he wants to represent himself.

Busch's mother told CBS4's Rick Sallinger on Monday her son is a paranoid schizophrenic, and he uses meth and cocaine and was considering suicide by cop.

Several people caught the action on video when the John Deere tractor jumped curbs, eluding more than a dozen police cars chasing it.

It wasn't until an officer rammed the tractor with their patrol car before it reached 16th Street Mall.

Two officers were hurt in the chase, but were released from the hospital.