State and local investigators say a Charlotte father hijacked an ambulance with his young son inside and led officers on a chase in Gaston County, North Carolina.
Police took Bobby Glenn, 22, into custody after the chase ended about a half-mile down Interstate 85 just beyond the South Fork River.
Paramedics said the man used his 3-year-old son to lure an ambulance.
The boy caught in the middle of a chase with a hijacked ambulance bonded with the police who rescued him.
He wanted to stay with the officers instead of leaving with social workers, authorities said.
His father reportedly called 911 claiming he and the child were in the middle of a Gastonia street and needed help.
“I need the ambulance and the police. My son need the ambulance and I need the police,” Glenn said during the call, according to authorities.
“OK, what do you need the ambulance for?” the dispatcher said.
“My son,” he said.
When the dispatcher pressed Glenn, he got combative, police said.
“I need the police. I need the police, ma’am,” Glenn said.
“OK. What do you need the police for?” the dispatcher asked.
“Because I feel like my life is in jeopardy right now,” Glenn said.
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Two ambulances arrived, and Glenn reportedly insisted on using the one that would allow him to get in front with the driver, police said.
When the ambulance started rolling, police said Glenn hijacked the vehicle.
A paramedic in the ambulance made a cryptic two-way call.
"(He) has jumped up to the front ... combative," the paramedic said.
Paramedics said Glenn was aggressive and struggled with one of the two medics in the ambulance.
Glenn gave them turn-by-turn instructions, police said.
"He was forcing the paramedics to drive the vehicle where he told them to against their will,” Gaston EMS Major J. H. McConnell said.
The paramedics contacted dispatchers by radio when the ambulance passed a police officer.
"Have police know that that's us that passing them. He won't let us stop," the paramedic said.
The child was in the ambulance the entire time.
Paramedics in the other ambulances heard the two-way traffic and followed.
“They just went pass Exit 22. They are not stopping," one paramedic said on the radio.
"It was very distressing, but I was comforted by the fact that Gastonia city police were able to very quickly get the vehicle to stop,” McConnell said.
Gastonia police managed to get in front of the ambulance and force the paramedic at the wheel to pull off the road.
Police said Glenn was taken into custody after resisting and assaulting police officers.
His son also got into a police car.
The officer let him play with his radio and watch movies on a mobile phone until social workers arrived.
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