STAFF REPORT
YOUNGSTOWN — A 28-year-old city man is in Mahoning County Jail on $220,000 bond after police said he took an ambulance for a joy ride and led them on a chase.
Devon Anderson, 28, of West Indianola Avenue appeared Monday for a video arraignment in Youngstown Municipal Court. He faces felony charges of fleeing and eluding and receiving stolen property as well as misdemeanor charges for driving without a license and resisting arrest.
Magistrate Anthony Sertick set bond at $100,000 for each felony charge and $5,000 for each misdemeanor. The magistrate also set a bond of $10,000 on an older, unrelated resisting arrest charge on file for Anderson.
According to police, two paramedics with Clemente Ambulance Services brought a critically wounded patient to Forum Health Northside Medical Center just after 1:30 a.m. Monday and left the ambulance running in the parking lot while taking the patient inside the hospital.
The paramedics told officers they were in the hospital only about three minutes, but when they returned to the place where the ambulance had been backed in, it was gone. Some witnesses told police they saw a man walk out of the emergency room and drive off in the emergency vehicle.
Reports say police spotted Anderson driving the ambulance on Mahoning Avenue near Steel Street a short time after it was reported stolen.
Officers tried to stop the vehicle, but that turned into a high-speed pursuit where, reports say, Anderson almost lost control of the vehicle on several occasions.
Anderson eventually got out of the ambulance and ran along Calvary Run Road. Officers caught up to him and a struggle involving several officers took place before Anderson was handcuffed and placed in a cruiser.
The ambulance was returned to Clemente personnel. Police said the company accounted for all equipment and narcotics in the vehicle.
Comments
Its a shame that the paramedics are trying to care for someone and some thug thinks it would be fun to steal an ambulance.I hope they keep him in jail where he belongs!
Yes, it is a shame. But don't we take the keys out of the the ignition with our own vehicles? Why not with an ambulance????
Devon will probably be out and on probation before summer is over. In Mahoning County vehicle theft has been no big deal. The high bond here is very confusing. Could it be that the heat is on over out of control cime in Mahoning County ?
Jodi, ambulances are usually left running so the lights stay on, and so the heat/air conditioning stays running.
This guy was obviously looking for drugs and for stuff to sell so he could buy more drugs.
Well we OBVIOUSLY DO NOT need to leave the ambulance running UNATTENDANTED if there are drugs in it........LOCK IT UP
Just so I'm clear, jodi; you're saying that the fact that the ambulance was stolen is more the fault of the staff preoccupied with transporting a critical patient into the facility rather than the person who stole the ambulance?
I would hope that were I on the gurney that the ambulance staff would be more concerned with helping me than having to worry about locking down their rig because there might be a wacko nearby.
Not at all what I am saying we need to cover ALL concerns here....the sick & the safety of others
jodi, you are so wrong. emergency personal keep the vehicle,s runnig for the the simple fact of having the air or heat or incase of another emergency. anyway it doesnt matter as to why it was running. what matters is is that this young punk wasnt taught right from wrong. i mean hell if i want to keep my car running in my driveway i should have that right with out the fear of some low life comming around to steal it.
:)
"YOUNGS-TOWN"
Where did Youngstown get the money to afford the dash in its name?
Anyway -- thankfully the patient was already transported into the hospital.