Man shot dead after stealing ambulance, ramming vehicles during chase near Austin
A man who stole a Fort Worth Fire EMS ambulance was shot and killed by a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper after leading police on a chase and ramming multiple civilian vehicles in Austin, according to officials.
The incident began at about 6:30 a.m. Thursday when troopers were notified that the ambulance was traveling south on Interstate 35 in Williamson County, north of Austin.
Troopers located the ambulance and tried to pull it over, but the driver refused to stop and began fleeing. As the pursuit reached the area of U.S. 290 in Austin, the driver began intentionally ramming civilian vehicles, according to Texas DPS Sergeant Jason Galaviz.
Troopers tried several times to use a PIT maneuver, but the attempts were unsuccessful. The ambulance continued to hit vehicles as it traveled onto the southbound upper deck of Interstate 35.
A trooper then fired their duty weapon, striking the driver, who was pronounced dead at the scene. The suspect’s identity has not been released.
The total number of vehicles struck by the ambulance was not immediately disclosed. Austin-Travis County EMS took an adult bystander who had been hit by a vehicle to a hospital with minor injuries, KXAN reported.
Texas Rangers are investigating the officer-involved shooting. The southbound upper deck of Interstate 35 remains closed while the investigation continues.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
