Man wanted for carjacking and crashing stolen ambulance outside of Tampa, FHP says
TAMPA — The Florida Highway Patrol is asking for the public's help in finding a man they say hijacked an ambulance in Hillsborough County early Friday morning.
Around 2 a.m., a supervisor with American Medical Rescue — a private ambulance service — saw a vehicle that appeared to be involved in a crash on the southbound Interstate 75 exit ramp to westbound Interstate 4. The supervisor decided to check the scene to see if anyone was hurt.
Rolling down his window, he asked if anyone was okay when the driver of the crashed vehicle approached the ambulance and began "throwing himself" at the window and got inside, FHP stated. Once inside, the suspect then fought with the driver and took over the ambulance. Fearing for his life, the driver escaped and called 911.
While trying to drive away with the ambulance, the suspect crashed into a Nissan Altima on the southbound I-75 ramp to westbound I-4 and fled the scene, prompting Hillsborough County Sheriff's deputies to respond. Deputies then chased the ambulance until they lost them.
According to FHP, the ambulance's in-car camera reported that it crashed about nine minutes later and took a photo of the suspect inside. The suspect then ditched the ambulance and fled from the scene.
FHP stated that the suspect appeared to be under the influence during the incident. Anyone with information about the incident or who recognizes the suspect is asked to call FHP at *FHP (*347) or Crime Stoppers at **TIPS (**8477).