An ambulance was commandeered yesterday by a woman in New Orleans while two EMTs and a patient were still inside. The New Orleans Police Department confirmed the theft occurred around 6:50 p.m. in the 2200 block of Poydras St. while New Orleans EMS was responding to a medical call at Ozanam Inn for a male patient experiencing dizziness. The perpetrator took off with the emergency vehicle, managing to drive it from the Tulane area to N. Broad and AP Tureaud Ave, as reported by WDSU.
According to FOX8Live, following the hijacking, EMS personnel successfully alerted police to the ambulance's location, leading to the interception of the vehicle. While the ambulance and another EMS car sustained minor damages, no additional injuries have been reported from the incident. Isabella Putzke, a witness of the scene, described to FOX8Live, "She was driving. I don’t know if she was intoxicated or not, but she was in the car driving." She further detailed how the woman was forcibly removed from the driver's seat and detained by authorities.
Once stopped at the intersection with Agriculture Street, New Orleans EMS personnel quickly moved to apprehend the woman while NOPD units arrived to secure the scene. New Orleans EMS mentioned the stolen ambulance and an EMS intercept vehicle suffered minor damages during the pursuit, as stated by EMS1.
The woman, whose identity remains undisclosed, was transported to University Medical Center for a psychiatric evaluation following her arrest. NOPD has indicated that upon her discharge, she will face charges for simple kidnapping and various traffic offenses. Meanwhile, the patient originally being treated was transferred to another ambulance to continue receiving medical attention.
