A man who needed a ride after being discharged from a Florida hospital on Sunday decided to solve his problem by stealing an ambulance, according to multiple reports.
The man, identified as 25-year-old Michael Paul, took the empty Broward Sheriff's Office Fire Rescue ambulance around 6:30 p.m. from Broward Health North, according to WFOR-TV. Deputies told the news station the ambulance had been left running, something rescue workers do regularly to ensure ambulances are cool and ready for patients who might need them.
As firefighters wheeled a patient into the hospital, Paul took off with rescue vehicle 102, the Miami Herald and WFOR-TV reported.
The ambulance was equipped with a GPS tracking device, according to The Associated Press. Paul and the ambulance were found about 30 minutes later in Deerfield Beach, the AP reported.
In a police report obtained by the Herald, investigators said Paul told detectives he "stole a red ambulance because he needed a car."
He was arrested and charged with grand theft auto, driving with a suspended or revoked license and violating a learner’s permit, jail records show.
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