BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — A pursuit of a stolen ambulance from Tulare County ended in Bakersfield Wednesday afternoon.

CHP Bakersfield said on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at around 3:33 p.m., officers received a call to help the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office for a theft of an ambulance.

According to a spokesperson with LifeStar Ambulance, it happened at Adventist Health Hospital in Tulare.

The spokesperson said paramedics had just dropped off a patient and a paramedic was in the back of the ambulance cleaning up and finishing paperwork in the parking lot.

They said that a person went into the driver’s seat and took the vehicle.

According to the spokesperson, the paramedic jumped out of the back and was helped out by two other paramedics. The paramedics were not hurt.

They said that an incident like this has never happened in the company’s 31-year history in Tulare.

A pursuit of a suspected stolen ambulance from Tulare County ended in Bakersfield Wednesday afternoon. PHOTO: KBAK/KBFX

A pursuit of a suspected stolen ambulance from Tulare County ended in Bakersfield Wednesday afternoon. PHOTO: KBAK/KBFX

According to CHP, the driver of the ambulance failed to yield and a pursuit started in Tulare County.

CHP that in Kern County, they monitored the pursuit as well as the assistance of a helicopter.

Tulare County law enforcement discontinued the pursuit because of the dangerous driving.

While in tracking mode, CHP officials said the driver displayed dangerous driving behavior such as going in and out of traffic, exceeding speeds of 100 mph, cutting vehicles off, and using the center median at times.

CHP said that for unknown reasons, the ambulance lost a tire on the highway.

The driver exited southbound Highway 99 at Rosedale Highway where the driver crashed at the center median.

Images from the scene show a tree that was snapped off the ground near the wrecked vehicle.

A pursuit of a suspected stolen ambulance from Tulare County ended in Bakersfield Wednesday afternoon. PHOTO: KBAK/KBFX

A pursuit of a suspected stolen ambulance from Tulare County ended in Bakersfield Wednesday afternoon. PHOTO: KBAK/KBFX

The driver, identified as a man, was apprehended. He was arrested for felony evading and theft of the ambulance. CHP said TCSO responded to take the suspect.