A man in Bakersfield, California, is facing multiple charges after allegedly stealing an ambulance and leading the police on a high-speed chase. A paramedic was inside the vehicle when it was stolen, police said, and was forced to jump out of it shortly after.
As reported by KBAK, citing California Highway Patrol (CHP) Bakersfield, the incident occurred on June 17, 2026. At around 3:33 p.m., CHP officers responded to Adventist Health Hospital in Tulare after the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance.
Officers were informed that an individual, who was only identified as a man, had allegedly stolen an ambulance. As per a LifeStar Ambulance spokesperson, the emergency vehicle in question had just dropped off a patient at the hospital.
One paramedic was doing paperwork and cleaning up the ambulance while at the hospital’s parking lot. Suddenly, the ambulance was turned on, and someone drove it away.
Paramedic Jumps, Pursuit Begins
Reportedly, the paramedic managed to jump out of the ambulance shortly after the man allegedly stole it. Two other paramedics on site were able to assist their peer, and no paramedic was hurt as a result.
Law enforcement attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but the ambulance kept going. Therefore, a pursuit began, with assistance from the CHP, Kern County, and Tulare County authorities. However, the pursuit was then discontinued.
Allegedly, the man behind the ambulance’s wheel was driving recklessly and at a speed exceeding 100 mph. He is also accused of cutting vehicles off, driving through the center median, and even going in and out of traffic, KBAK reported.
Pursuit Ends
The ambulance continued toward Bakersfield. At one point, according to Officer Herman Baza, spike strips were deployed to put an end to the pursuit. These were unsuccessful, he said.
For reasons still unknown, the ambulance lost a wheel while in the middle of the freeway. The vehicle slowed down for obvious reasons and then exited Highway 99 at Rosedale Highway.
Shortly after, the driver crashed into the center median. Footage shared online showed the ambulance surrounded by patrol units and a snapped-off tree on the ground.
Arrested and Charged
The unidentified suspect was placed under arrest. He is charged with felony evading and theft of an ambulance.
If convicted of his felony evading charge, he could spend up to 3 years in prison and be ordered to pay $10,000 in fines. Meanwhile, the theft of an ambulance charge could add four years to his potential sentence and double the fine.