‘Why did they leave it unlocked?’ Woman steals ambulance from medics doing CPR, leads wild chase
An Oregon woman hijacked an ambulance while the paramedics were performing CPR on a patient, then switched on the siren lights and went on a wild 30-mile joyride, chased by a host of police vehicles.
When the law enforcers finally stopped her by puncturing the tires of the ambulance with spike strips, Christy Lynn Woods refused to admit any wrongdoing – and bizarrely blamed the medics instead.
“Why did they leave it [the ambulance] unlocked?” she told the officers, according to the court papers seen by the Oregonian.
Oregon woman steals ambulance as medics perform CPR; goes on wild 30-mile joyride, cops say https://t.co/8wrFHqNfwApic.twitter.com/5VFDrh4BBh
— The Oregonian (@Oregonian) 22 сентября 2018 г.
The 37-year-old, who previously had numerous run-ins with law, also insisted that she was “a good [expletive] driver” and “didn’t try to hurt anyone.”
However, understanding of the situation gradually came to Wood as she was later recorded saying: “Oh my God, I can't believe I just did that.” The woman also added that she realized that the stunt would most likely see her put behind bars.
Wood came across an unattended emergency vehicle in the street in downtown Roseburg last Sunday and made a swift decision to take it for a ride. When the paramedics came out of a nearby building with a patient, who needed to be urgently taken to hospital, they were shocked to find out that their ambulance was gone.
The hijacker initially drove around downtown, but when a state trooper attempted to pull her over, she took to the freeway and stepped on the gas. During the tense 30-mile chase, the runaway ambulance reached the speed of 85 miles per hour (around 137 km/h).
At some point, Wood rammed a police cruiser, which attempted to clear the traffic in front of her. The car spun out of control and hit the highway’s wire median, with the officer behind the wheel receiving minor injuries.
When the tires of the ambulance were punctured, Wood drove into a gas station, got out of the vehicle and dropped to the ground. "I gave up when I should," she told the policeman, who was arresting her, according to the court papers.
The woman now faces 13 charges, including assault, interfering with paramedics, criminal mischief, reckless driving and driving while suspended.
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Wood was known to the law enforcers as a troublemaker: she has been arrested 39 times by the Douglas County police since 2013, KOIN-TV reported. In February, she was convicted of second-degree disorderly conduct after trying to hit bar patrons with a bottle and resisting arrest.
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