Man injured after stealing ambulance, crashing in South Roxana

MADISON COUNTY, Ill. - A man was left injured Thursday morning after stealing an ambulance and crashing it in South Roxana.

According to the Illinois State Police Department (ISP), the crash incident happened shortly after 9 a.m. on Illinois Route 111 near Kearby Lane.

The man stole the ambulance while he was getting unloaded out of the vehicle at the Gateway Regional Medical Center in Granite City, according to Madison County Sheriff Jeff Connor. A pursuit began after an officer located the fleeing vehicle along Illinois Route 111.

Officers attempted to disable the fleeing ambulance by deploying stop strips along the roadway on Illinois Route 111. In an effort to avoid the strips, Connor says the man tried to go around it but lost control of the ambulance, causing the vehicle to roll over before coming to a stop in a ditch.

The suspect was taken into custody after the crash and was transported back to the Gateway Regional Medical Center in Granite City in a different ambulance to treat injuries sustained during the incident.

The condition of the suspect is unknown. No other injuries were reported in the incident.

An investigation into the crash is still ongoing.