A Northwest Side man accused of carjacking an ambulance from Loretto Hospital and leading Chicago police on a crash-filled chase Friday afternoon faces a long list of felony charges, including vehicular hijacking, kidnapping, and aggravated reckless driving.
Lamont Hill, 59, is set to appear for a detention hearing Monday afternoon at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse.
According to police, Cicero paramedics were delivering a patient to the hospital when Hill was being escorted out of the facility by security. With two members of the ambulance crew working nearby and one paramedic still in the back of the ambulance, Hill allegedly jumped into the rig’s driver’s seat and sped off.
The paramedic in the rear managed to jump from the vehicle a couple of blocks away. Meanwhile, another paramedic at the hospital alerted police, and Chicago officers quickly located the stolen ambulance and began pursuing it.
Hill reportedly led police through several West Side neighborhoods before officers boxed him in near Jackson Boulevard and Central Avenue near Columbus Park. He allegedly rammed squad cars to break free, reigniting the chase, an encounter captured on video.
The chase ended when Hill crashed into a police vehicle and another car near Cicero and Chicago avenues.
Hill was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in good condition for treatment of undisclosed injuries. Three officers and four civilians were also hospitalized with injuries related to the pursuit, according to police.
CPD said an officer fired at least one shot during the incident, but no injuries from gunshots were reported. Following policy, the officer who discharged their weapon has been placed on 30 days of administrative duty while the Civilian Office of Police Accountability reviews the shooting.
Hill is charged with vehicular hijacking, kidnapping by force, two counts of aggravated battery of a peace officer, possession of a stolen motor vehicle, six counts of criminal damage to government property, attempting to disarm a peace officer, three counts of aggravated fleeing, two counts of aggravated reckless driving causing bodily harm, and two counts of leaving the scene of an injury crash.
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