Toledo – On August 15, 2020 at approximately 3:01 a.m., the Ohio State Highway Patrol Toledo Post was dispatched to check on a stolen ambulance that was parked on US 24 near milepost 56 in Lucas County. The ambulance was reported stolen earlier in the morning from Mercy St. Vincent’s Hospital in Toledo.
Upon arriving on scene, the ambulance fled the scene. The vehicle fled west into Henry County and multiple attempts to deploy stop sticks were unsuccessful. The ambulance continued into Defiance County where Troopers from the Defiance Post were able to successfully deploy stop sticks to deflate the two front tires of the ambulance. The driver pulled over and was taken into custody without further incident. The driver, Johnny Smith from Dallas, Texas was incarcerated and charged with Fleeing and Eluding, Receiving Stolen Property, and charges from the St. Vincent Medical Center Police Department.
The Highway Patrol was assisted during the incident and apprehension by the Henry County Sheriff’s Office, the Defiance County Sheriff’s Office, the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office, the Defiance Police Department, and the Napoleon Police Department.
