Suspect steals ambulance with technician inside, leading officers on a chase in Santa Rosa: police
Santa Rosa police said Jorge Sanchez Rodriguez, 36, of Sonoma, Calif., stole an ambulance with an ambulance crew member inside on Wednesday, May 1, 2024. (Santa Rosa Police Department via Bay City News)
SANTA ROSA, Calif. - A 36-year-old Sonoma man accused of stealing an ambulance and kidnapping a medic was arrested on Wednesday, after leading police on a chase, investigators said.
Santa Rosa police said officers were called to the Russian River Pub on 4th Street, where an employee there reported a customer appeared to be in an altered state.
Officers, accompanied by mental health services, arrived on scene, where suspect Jorge Sanchez Rodriguez told them he was suffering from an anxiety attack and said he wanted to be transported to a hospital by ambulance.
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An ambulance with the Sonoma County Fire District arrived, and a team evaluated him. As the driver of the ambulance was outside the vehicle preparing for transport, Rodriguez ran to the driver’s seat of the vehicle and drove off, police said.
Still inside the ambulance was a second medical technician who was trapped in the back of the vehicle, according to investigators.
Officers immediately gave chase, tried to stop the ambulance, and even deployed spike strips to puncture the tires in an attempt to bring the vehicle to a halt.
"The Officer was successful in deflating two of the tires on the driver’s side of the ambulance, but Rodriguez continued to drive the ambulance," police explained in a social media post on Thursday.
Police remained in chase, and a short time later deployed more spike strips which succeeded in deflating the remaining two tires.
But investigators said the suspect still did not stop and continued on until he reached Providence Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital located on Montgomery Drive.
Once he arrived at the hospital, "Rodriguez immediately exited the ambulance and laid face down on the ground with his hands out," according to police, who added, the suspect was taken into custody without use of force by officers.
The ambulance member was not injured.
The suspect was then transported to a patrol car. Once in the back, police said he began getting physical, hitting his head against the security screen and kicking the car’s window. Police proceeded to remove him from the vehicle and onto a gurney.
Rodriguez was eventually booked into the Sonoma County Main Adult Detention Center.
In addition to felonies of vehicle theft and kidnapping, he also faced charges of reckless evading, resisting an executive officer, as well as a misdemeanor of being under the influence of a controlled substance.
Bay City News contributed to this story.