A patient jumped into the cab of the ambulance he was being treated in and drove off, leading police on a pursuit that ended in a minor crash west of downtown Los Angeles. Gadi Schwartz reports from the Westlake District for the NBC4 News at 11 on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2014.
A patient stole a Los Angeles Fire Department ambulance in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday night and led officers in a pursuit that ended in a crash a few miles away, police said.
Two paramedics were in the back of their ambulance about 7:40 p.m. treating the patient in the 200 block of N. San Pedro Street, LAFD officials said. The patient refused medical attention and left the vehicle, but later came back charging at the paramedics, who took cover in the back of the ambulance and locked the doors, police said.
That's when the patient got into the cab of the ambulance and drove off with paramedics leaping out of the back, officials said.
A fire engine followed the ambulance until Los Angeles Police Department officers took over the pursuit, police said.
The short chase ended when the driver lost control of the ambulance and collided with a minivan at Beverly Boulevard and Union Avenue in the Westlake District, police said.
The driver of the ambulance was taken into custody.
Two people who were in the minivan were taken to the hospital with minor injuries, officials said. They were expected to be OK.
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No one else was hurt.
