CAUGHT ON VIDEO: Police chase stolen ambulance through Houston

HOUSTON (KTRK) - A man was arrested after police said he stole an ambulance and led them on a chase through the Houston area.

It happened on Monday, with parts of that chase caught on video. The ambulance chase went on for more than an hour.

Police said it started at a Kroger grocery store where the suspect appeared to be helping a woman, then took off in her car.

After that, police say he drove to the east side - to Fire Station No. 17.

“We saw the gentleman pull up in a four-door sedan. He pulled right into the fire station’s parking lot, jumped out, ran inside the open bay, jumped in the ambulance and was gone within a minute,” said Chris Murray, who works near the fire station.

Surveillance video shows him jumping inside the ambulance and taking off.

“We had some challenges with the automatic vehicle location on it,” said Houston Fire Chief Rodney West.

The ambulance’s GPS system wasn’t working, and it took a while for officials to find it.

Eventually police helicopter spotted it driving along the West Loop, and officers on the ground rushed in to catch up.

As the chase continued, the driver turned onto Shepherd from Westheimer. Police put out spike strips before the driver passed beneath the Southwest Freeway.

Not long after that, it all came to an end.

Another driver was hit when he says he was trying to get out of the way.

“It wasn’t that big of an impact. There’s some damage to the car,” said the man, who wasn’t named. “The officer got out of the car with the pistol drawn and everything. The officer told me to get out the way.”

Police say the man who allegedly took the ambulance was in crisis. They say he will be facing charges of automobile theft and felony evading arrest.

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