Two people were injured when a stolen ambulance crashed into a passenger car in Lakeview early Thursday, police said. The driver of the stolen ambulance then ran from the scene.
An Elite ambulance crew reportedly left their rig idling while they treated a patient near 18th and Wabash around 12:30 a.m. When they returned to the street, the ambulance was gone.
About 30 minutes later, the ambulance was seen traveling northbound on the 2900 block of North Sheridan with its lights on, but not its siren, according to a witness.
The ambulance slammed into a black SUV at the intersection of Sheridan and Briar with enough force to activate the car’s airbags and activate the ambulance’s siren, the witness said.
A 29-year-old woman who was driving the SUV is being treated at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center for injuries that are not life-threatening, police said. CPD previously said two people from the SUV were hospitalized.
The ambulance thief ran westbound on Briar after the collision, according to the witness. He described the suspect as a short Black male who was wearing a black t-shirt and dark shorts. The man may have suffered injuries in the crash.
Police are investigating the ambulance theft and the crash.