A man was arrested after police say he stole an ambulance and led officers on a brief chase.
HOUSTON — A man was taken into custody following a chase involving a stolen ambulance, according to police.
The ambulance was stolen from Ben Taub Hospital in the Texas Medical Center.
According to HPD LT. Larry Crowson, at around 6:30 p.m., the Houston Fire Department told dispatchers that the ambulance had been taken. The ambulance had a GPS tracker, which allowed fficers to locate the stolen vehicle as it drove down Scott Street near the University of Houston.
When officers tried to stop the vehicle, the driver refused and that led to the chase. To minimize public risk, HPD’s helicopter and undercover units tracked the ambulance from above and from a distance. That allowed patrol cars to pull back and reduce the chance of a high-speed chase through busy streets.
The chase lasted about 30 minutes and ended near the intersection of Holmes Road and Almeda Road after the driver lost control.
Even then, police say the suspect refused to get out of the vehicle, so officers sent in a K9 unit, according to Crowson.
The dog bit the suspect, which allowed officers to pull him from the ambulance.
The suspect, described as a man in his 40s or 50s, was taken back to Ben Taub Hospital for treatment after the K9 bite. From there, he will get taken to jail on possible charges of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and evading arrest, according to Crowson.
Watch the update police gave at the scene:
It is unknown if the suspect was a patient at the hospital before allegedly stealing the ambulance. Crowson said the suspect seemed “a little delirious” and may have been experiencing mental health problems.
Crowson said at one point during the chase, the man used the ambulance’s lights and sirens to move through traffic. His driving speed ranged between 40 to 50 mph. The suspect also struck a curb, causing a tire blowout.
“So, we’re very fortunate today because of the helicopter, the unmarked units of the tracker. We were able to catch him without putting the citizens in danger today, and so a very successful operation by the officers; they did a good job,” Crowson said.
A police helicopter crew saw the ambulance possibly making contact with a black Nissan near Holmes and the South Loop, according to Crowson. However, that vehicle left the scene and officers are asking the driver to come forward to file a report if damage occurred.
No weapons were found in the ambulance, and no officers or bystanders were injured.