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Benjamin K. Herrington, 46, of Chicago, was charged with fleeing to elude a peace officer, resisting or obstructing a peace officer and possession of a stolen motor vehicle in connection with Monday’s chase, Illinois State Police said Tuesday morning.
Police said at about 4:40 p.m. Monday a Chicago Fire Department ambulance was parked in the 200-block of West Cermak Road in Chinatown. Police said it was taken by one man while it was parked and unattended on the street in front of the firehouse.
During the theft, a bystander stopped and did a double take as the driver pulled off. Officials said no one was in the ambulance when it was stolen.
The thief fled south in ambulance No. 66 onto the Stevenson Expressway, with police and Illinois State Police in pursuit, and eventually onto I-55 heading south into the southwest suburbs.
At one point, police closed in on the tail and threw a rumble stick, flattening the back left tire, though, not enough to deter the driver.
Shortly before 6:20 p.m., somewhere south of Joliet, the ambulance slowed nearly to a stop, and the driver appeared to be gesturing to and speaking with police out the window, before suddenly taking off again.
WATCH: Driver of stolen ambulance waves at police, appears to consider stopping
Strips took out the ambulance’s back driver’s side tire, but the chase continued on, with the bare rim smoking at times. By 6:30 p.m. the ambulance had made it nearly 80 miles southwest of the city, near Dwight, where the driver slowed to a stop and got out.
It briefly looked like the driver was going to surrender; he stepped over a fence divider between the highway and the grass median with a backpack and got onto his knees. There appeared to be an exchange of words with police and the suspect suddenly grabbed his backpack and took off on foot, running into the northbound lanes of I-55.
WATCH: Driver arrested for stealing ambulance after police chase
There he stopped a red truck hauling a trailer and attempted to get in the passenger door, but was unable to. He was then tackled by several officers and a K-9 unit and taken into custody on the side of the highway near the Streator-Kankakee exit.
The suspect was eventually taken away in an ambulance and could be seen on video arriving at Morris Hospital in Grundy County for non-life threatening injuries.
RELATED: Police chase: 6 in custody after vehicle wanted in carjacking crashes during ISP pursuit
He was released from the hospital about 2 a.m., and taken to the Grundy County Jail, Illinois State Police said.
Herrington was then turned over to Chicago police for transport to Cook County later Tuesday, police said.
In a statement, the Chicago Fire Department said:
“We wish to thank the Chicago Police Department, Illinois State Police, and supporting suburban departments for their professionalism and patience in recovering CFD ambulance 66.
“These officers were able to secure the ambulance and get the young man the help he needs without serious injury to himself or members of the public.
“CFD immediately started an internal investigation into how this incident started and we will take the necessary steps to prevent futures occurrences of this type.”
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Source: ABC7
