SUNRISE, FLA. (WSVN) - A private ambulance was stolen on Friday afternoon, leading to a series of crashes in Broward County and to a woman’s arrest.
The chaotic series of events began at the intersection of University Drive and McNab Road in Tamarac, at around 1:13 p.m.
According to the Broward Sheriff’s Office, authorities received a call reporting the theft of the ambulance. Deputies from BSO’s Tamarac District responded to the scene and began trying to locate the stolen vehicle.
An official with the ambulance company, National Health Transport, said that the vehicle was parked at the HCA Florida Woodmont Hospital.
A National Health Transport employee was inside the ambulance when it was taken, the company official said. Fortunately, the employee managed to exit the vehicle safely after the theft occurred.
“So we have someone in the ambulance who is possibly in there against their will, and it’s signal 10 correct,” said a deputy over Broadcastify police scanner.
Shortly after, the stolen vehicle was involved in a hit-and-run crash at the intersection of Pine Island Road and McNab Road in Tamarac. No injuries were reported as a result of this crash.
However, the reckless ride did not end there.
A short time after the hit-and-run, investigators said, the stolen ambulance was involved in another collision, this time a single-vehicle crash along the 4000 block of Hiatus Road in Sunrise. The vehicle ultimately crashed into a tree.
Authorities believe that the suspected thief had exited the moving vehicle prior to the crash.
The suspect, identified as Ciara McGriff, 34, was later apprehended and taken into custody. She was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
Friday night, authorities confirmed they have placed McGriff under arrest. She faces charges of grand theft auto, false imprisonment and leaving the scene of accident with property damage.
A similar incident happened in May when a Miami-Dade Fire Rescue truck was stolen.
Investigators said Aljenard Lekambrick took the unoccupied truck from North Miami Beach, headed up to Interstate 95, blocked traffic and kept going to Palm Beach County where he was arrested.
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