Florida man in stolen ambulance leads deputies on chase... straight to sheriff's office, officials say
COLUMBIA COUNTY, Fla. - A Florida man has found himself in hot water after he allegedly took the wheel of a responding ambulance and led deputies on a pursuit… to the local sheriff's office, according to officials.
Stanley Williams, 35, is accused of grand theft and fleeing and eluding after the incident that unfolded Saturday night in Columbia County, according to a press release from the sheriff's office.
Shortly before midnight, a deputy was helping EMS with a subject experiencing an "altered mental state," deputies said. He was also allegedly possibly under the influence of drugs in the area of SE Baya Avenue and SR-100.
That subject, identified as Williams, somehow gained access to the inside of the ambulance and wound up driving away from the scene, according to deputies. Deputies followed in pursuit of the stolen ambulance.
During the pursuit, the ambulance hit a curb which caused damage to the tire, deputies said.
Williams drove the stolen ambulance to the entrance of the Columbia County Sheriff's Office Operations Center on U.S. 90 East, according to the press release. He drove onto the front lawn and stopped near the main entrance.
Photo: Columbia County Sheriffs Office
Deputies said there was only minor cosmetic damage to the lawn, but no damage to the sheriff's office property.
He was taken into custody before being admitted to a local hospital for further evaluation. Charges are being filed and referred to the State Attorney's Office.
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"It’s not every day a pursuit ends at our front door," said Sheriff Mark Hunter. "This just goes to show that we never know what we will encounter from one moment to the next. I’m glad nobody was hurt and the suspect was not able to pose a greater risk to our community."