Man Arrested For Stealing Ambulance In Tennessee, Crashing Into Police Car

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A man in Tennessee was arrested Thursday (June 30) morning after reportedly stealing an ambulance from a local hospital and crashing it into a police vehicle.

The Chattanooga Police Department claim that a 66-year-old man got inside a parked ambulance near Erlanger Hospital around 8:30 a.m. local time and drove it away, per News Channel 9. The ambulance, which belongs to a private ambulance company, confirmed there were no patients or employees inside at the time of the theft.

Officers spotted the ambulance a short time later, but as officers approached it, they claim the man attempted to drive away and hit a patrol car instead. The man, whose name was not released, was taken into custody and transported to a hospital for evaluation. Charges against the man are pending.

"We are thankful that no one from the public was injured in the incident; however, the thief damaged property and significantly endangered public safety," a spokesperson for Puckett EMS said in a statement. "We will press charges and support and cooperate with the Chattanooga Police Department in their investigation. We appreciated the prompt and effective response by the Chattanooga Police Department."

When asked if ambulance drivers are supposed to lock the doors whenever the vehicle is parked, Puckett confirmed that was the case and said they have launched an internal investigation into how the man managed to get inside the ambulance.


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