WISCONSIN – A man has allegedly stolen an ambulance carrying a critically ill patient before driving the vehicle while naked and led the police on a high-speed chase in Wisconsin Rapids, United States, on Tuesday.
According to international news reports, the suspect, identified as Benjamin Feltz, 37, allegedly slipped into the driver’s seat of the ambulance without any piece of clothing while paramedics were loading a patient into the back of the vehicle.
Reports said the man then shut the doors and sped off, prompting police to launch a pursuit that lasted more than 40 minutes.
During the incident, a 50-year-old female patient in the back of the ambulance reportedly told the suspect she was dying from kidney disease and begged him to turn back.
The chase ended about 18 miles from the initial location in the town of Pittsville after an officer deployed a spike strip to deflate the ambulance’s tyres.
Feltz reportedly refused to comply with police orders to exit the vehicle, prompting authorities to use a drone to monitor his movements from a safe distance due to concerns for the patient’s safety.
After his arrest, the suspect was reported to have hurled insults at police officers and made threatening remarks, including "I will beat you up" and "It is time for you to feel my pain."
The police said Feltz, who did not have a valid driving licence, now faces 10 charges, including driving under influence.
Both the suspect and the patient were not injured and there were only minor damages to the ambulance.
A breath test found no alcohol in the suspect’s system.
However, according to a Wisconsin Rapids police report, traces of cannabis were detected in Feltz’s system and he admitted to drinking half a bottle of floor cleaner earlier that afternoon.
Prior to the incident, several witnesses claimed they saw the suspect doing push-ups naked in public while shouting profanities at members of the public.
It was reported that a police report also stated that the man did not provide a clear reason for his actions and said the act was not intended to injure or kill himself.