CHAPEL HILL, N.C. —
Chapel Hill Police have detained a patient accused of stealing an ambulance and crashing into several parked vehicles.
On April 1, Orange County EMS was called to 5 Deerwood Court in Chapel Hill in response to a medical assistance call. During treatment of the patient, he ran out of the home and stole the ambulance.
According to police, the patient drove the ambulance around the neighborhood, striking parked vehicles and a Chapel Hill fire truck.
“I was in the living room and I heard a crash sound. I looked out the front window and saw the ambulance just drive straight through the front lawn and then go onto the road,” said a witness, Sean Kishbaugh.
Sergio Mora was driving his vehicle when he saw the ambulance and followed it.
“He was driving real fast so I knew something was very wrong so I turned around. He was driving at least 55 miles per hour. I thought it was very unusual for an ambulance,” said Mora.
John Faltass was walking in the neighborhood when he heard screeching tires coming down the street toward him.
“He may or may not have been aware of me… I got out of the way and I’m alive,” said Faltass.
The ambulance came to rest after the patient crashed at the dead end of Emory Drive.
“He then jumped out of the ambulance. He started running so I got behind him… He ran through the woods, without shoes and a bloody face. I chased him and called 911,” said Mora.
The patient was detained and transported to UNC Hospital for a medical evaluation.
Police are not releasing the patient’s name because the case is under investigation. Pending charges include felonious larceny of a vehicle, reckless driving and several counts of hit and run.
