Tuesday night turned surreal in central Wisconsin when a stolen ambulance barreled across the countryside with a patient still inside, triggering a high-speed, multi-agency chase that ended in a field west of Pittsville. Officers used stop-sticks to slow the rig before it left the roadway and came to a stop. Authorities said the patient was not hurt and was later taken to a hospital for evaluation.
Dispatch audio from the pursuit confirmed that a patient was riding in the back and that the chase began near Wisconsin Rapids, which sits roughly an hour south of Wausau, according to WISN. The outlet reported that the Wood County Sheriff's Office planned to release additional details Wednesday as investigators worked to sort out how the ambulance was taken in the first place.
How the pursuit ended
Wood County Sheriff Shawn Becker told NewsChannel 7 that Wisconsin Rapids police launched the pursuit after the stolen ambulance was reported, and deputies picked it up as it headed west on State Highway 73, WSAW reported. Pittsville officers deployed spike strips, the ambulance veered into a field just west of town, and deputies arrested the driver without further incident. WSAW noted that the chase lasted about 30 to 45 minutes and that the patient was ultimately taken to a hospital in a non-emergency manner.
Context
Ambulance thefts are unusual but not entirely unheard of. Recent cases across the country have involved patients or EMTs still onboard during the thefts and subsequent chases, which highlights the extra layer of risk when an emergency vehicle is suddenly in the wrong hands, according to reporting by ClickOnDetroit. Incidents like these are a big reason agencies move fast and coordinate across jurisdictions when an ambulance goes missing.
Wisconsin Rapids police and the Wood County Sheriff's Office said they expected to provide a more complete timeline as the investigation continues, per WISN. Authorities have not yet released the suspect's name or announced any charges.
