Pennsylvania man steals ambulance, strikes officer in wild low-speed police chase caught on video
Man steals ambulance, attempts to run over Philadelphia officer
Philadelphia police have taken a suspect into custody following a stolen ambulance chase throughout the city.
A Pennsylvania man clad in only his boxer shorts stole an ambulance and struck a police officer who shot him three times, before leading cops on a wild low-speed chase through the streets of Philadelphia Friday night, authorities said.
Philadelphia police and medics responded to a motel around 9:20 p.m. to reports of a domestic disturbance between a man and a woman, and at least one needed medical attention, Staff Inspector Sekou Kinebrew said. But the man, in his 40s, became combative and hopped into the ambulance.
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The unnamed man then sped toward an officer, police said. The officer discharged his firearm four times, striking the man three times: twice in the left leg and once in the side. The officer was struck by the ambulance and was hospitalized with injuries that Kinebrew described as non-life-threatening.
During the 90-minute chase, the ambulance reached a top speed of 25 mph and traveled a distance of fewer than 2 1/2 miles before the man’s eventual arrest without incident, Kinebrew said.
Aerial video showed the man stop in a parking lot of a fast-food restaurant and open the door as officers approached. He then drives off and barrels into police vehicles blocking the exit. A tow truck that appeared to intervene during the pursuit was struck from behind and sent into a tailspin off the road.
No police officers were believed to be injured in those collisions. Any injuries to other drivers were unclear.
“He’s lucky it was late at night and nobody was out here to get killed or anything,” witness Sean McDonald told FOX29 Philadelphia.” He was driving like a lunatic.”
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The man appeared shirtless and wearing only boxer shorts when he was taken into custody. He was taken to a hospital for treatment, but police said he wasn’t immediately charged with a crime.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
