PONTIAC, Mich. – An Oakland County woman is accused of stealing an ambulance from outside a Pontiac hospital Wednesday night.
The ambulance, owned by private company Star EMS, was taken from in front of the McLaren Oakland emergency entrance, according to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office.
It was recovered a short time later, the sheriff’s office said. No one was injured, and deputies said there was no damage to the vehicle and nothing appeared to be missing.
A witness who captured video of the incident said at first he thought he was watching a film.
“I thought it was a movie,” said Erwin Wilson, who was driving home in Pontiac when he saw the ambulance.
In the video he shot, a person can be seen pushing what appears to be a leg into the back of the ambulance and then closing the doors.
As the ambulance pulls away, the rear doors don’t stay shut.
“You don’t see a normal person throwing stuff in the back of an ambulance,” Wilson said. “I thought they killed the ambulance driver or something.”
The sheriff’s office said the ambulance driver was not harmed, but confirmed the vehicle had been stolen.
The Public Information Office said the woman driving the ambulance told them she took it because she was trying to help someone who was overdosing.
According to the sheriff’s office, the woman in the back of the ambulance was administered Narcan, regained consciousness, and was stabilized.
Wilson said he doesn’t condone stealing an emergency vehicle, and it’s something he would never do, but understands why it happened.
“We know two wrongs don’t make a right, but this time it did,” Wilson said.
The ambulance is owned by Star EMS.
Local 4 reached out to the company for comment, but they told us they don’t have a comment to provide.
The sheriff’s office said the woman arrested is being held at the Oakland County Jail.
Officials said they have no record of anyone calling 911 to report a medical emergency related to the incident, but they do have a record of a call reporting a stolen ambulance.
Local 4 reached out to the Oakland County Prosecutor’s office to see what charges the woman could be facing, the public information officer replied, “I’m not sure if the arraignment has taken place, it will be out of 50th District. The charge is Unlawful Driving Away.”
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