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A Body camera video footage shows officers from the Atlanta Police Department spotting a stolen ambulance and arresting a man suspected of taking it for a joyride earlier this week.
On November 7, 2022, Atlanta police were alerted to a stolen ambulance from Emory Midtown Hospital. Ten minutes after they received the stolen vehicle report, police found the ambulance in the parking lot of the gas station.
Officers then approached the suspect, later identified as 33-year-old Jonathan Williams, who allegedly drove the vehicle around Atlanta before being apprehended at the gas station. The police said that the ambulance was stolen after paramedics went inside the hospital and left the engine running.
They added that Williams was reportedly discharged from the hospital when he spotted the ambulance with the keys in the ignition stationed outside the premises.
Atlanta Officers spotted the stolen ambulance at Piedmont Road
The edited video with unclear audio shows officers driving around when they receive an alert that the vehicle was spotted on Piedmont Road in Atlanta. They then follow the ambulance to a Shell gas station, where they pull over and rush towards it, guns drawn.
The officer then says “Back up” to an officer who is opening the door of the ambulance to look for the suspect. Police said that the suspect was found inside the vehicle. He got out and began walking away, complying with the officer's commands at the scene. He was reportedly handcuffed to the ground and led to a patrol car that was parked nearby.
In a similar incident, a woman was charged with robbery after she stole an ambulance from a Mission hospital in Texas in June. The woman, identified as Isela Escobar, 31, who had recently been discharged from the hospital, drove off with an ambulance parked outside after assaulting a security guard during the theft.
Netizens were quick to make light of the incident
Netizens on social media had a field day with the incident that many have found slightly amusing.
A Twitter user named Turd Ferguson commented on the incident by taking a shot at the exuberant Uber rates. He said:
"I’m on Mr. Williams side. 1. If you brought him in an ambulance than it’s only fair he gets a ride home and 2. Have you seen the price of Ubers lately? Also, how you gonna pull over an ambulance for breaking traffic laws. Aren’t they allowed to?"
Another user, Bella, echoed similar sentiments, saying, "Ubers are expensive and he needed a ride home."
While some found humor in the incident, others delved into the possibility that perhaps the suspect was desperate for a place to stay, alluding that he might have been homeless. However, police have not disclosed any further details on the case.
After his arrest, Williams was reportedly taken to Fulton County Jail and will be charged with several traffic charges.
