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Man steals ambulance in Taylor, sends police on multi-city chase injuring Melvindale officers

Posted at 4:48 PM, Jun 22, 2021
and last updated 2021-06-22 18:02:34-04

MELVINDALE, . MICH. (WXYZ) — Bystanders who witnessed this police chase are describing it as a scene from a movie. Melvindale Police Chief Dan Jones tells 7 Action News that a man in Taylor hopped in an ambulance while the crew went inside a convenience store.

That's when the pursuit started with a man behind the wheel of a white and blue Superior Ambulance Service vehicle. The chase continued into Southgate and Detroit.

“I hear a lot of sirens," said Ralph Gaines as he filmed the chase from Lafayette Boulevard.

“That’s only something you would see in a movie or GTA or in a game," Gains said.

Police continued the chase through the city of Detroit and into Melvindale near the Dearborn city-line where the chase ended.

"All the police cars swarmed around him. He rammed into the police cars (and) knocked one down," said Michelle Redder as she watched from her car.

Chief Jones says the ambulance tried to make a u-turn at the intersection of Allen and Greenfield. As police tried to box the driver in, you can see on video the suspect ramming into police cars.

7 Action News learned that one of the officers was very close to being crushed. Jones says he "hyper extended his knees" and another officer sprained their knee.

“Something needs to be done about it. He could’ve killed somebody," Redder said.

Chief Jones says his department is still collecting reports from the multiple police agencies involved before submitting them to the Wayne County Prosecutor. The man who stole the ambulance is currently waiting on his arraignment.

7 Action News did reach out to Superior Ambulance service for more on their policy. Police tell us the medics went into the convenience store for drinks at the time the ambulance was stolen.