CHICAGO — A man is in custody after he stole an ambulance and led police on a 75-mile pursuit Monday afternoon.
According to police, the Chicago Fire Department ambulance was left unattended on the street in front of a firehouse, when the man absconded with the emergency vehicle at about 4:40 p.m. local time, WLS-TV reported.
The man has not been identified publicly.
Meanwhile, WGN-TV aerial cameras captured footage of the stolen ambulance driving on the outbound Stevenson Expressway at speeds of up to 80 mph before the left rear tire blew out just before 6 p.m.
The Illinois State Police also joined the pursuit, which led to the city’s southwest suburbs via Interstate 55 before ending at about 6:30 p.m. near Dwight, about 80 miles southwest of Chicago, WLS-TV reported.
Although the man initially appeared to surrender to police, he then fled on foot, attempted unsuccessfully to enter the passenger side door of a red truck he flagged down and was ultimately tackled by several officers and a K-9 unit, the TV station reported.
The suspect was then transported to an area hospital for evaluation.
It was not immediately known if the ambulance was left running outside the fire station, according to WGN-TV.
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