Willoughby Hills paramedic jumps out of open ambulance window to stop vehicle theft – News-Herald

A Willoughby Hills ambulance crashed into the Lake West Hospital helipad after a paramedic from the department arrested a man who stole the vehicle on June 16. (Courtesy of Willoughby Hills Fire Department)

The Willoughby Hills Fire Department reported that a man stole an ambulance from the Lake West Hospital parking lot on the morning of June 16, although his ride was stopped in its tracks after a paramedic jumped through a open window to stop it.

The man who attempted to steal the vehicle was taken into custody by the Willoughby Police Department and reported no injuries, a news release from the Willoughby Hills Fire Department said. Firefighter and paramedic Brian Paladino reported minor injuries to his ankle and arm.

The events occurred around 10:30 a.m. at the entrance to the hospital, the press release specifies. The ambulance crew was leaving the hospital after dropping off a box of used medication from a previous patient, and they saw a man enter through the passenger door of the vehicle.

The man then got into the driver’s seat and began driving the vehicle, according to the release. Paladino jumped out of the open driver’s side window, overpowered the driver and prevented him from steering the ambulance any further.

The ambulance jumped a curb and came to a stop after crashing into the hospital’s helicopter landing pad. The ambulance sustained moderate damage, but no damage to the hospital.

Paladino’s partner and hospital staff helped secure the driver before police arrived, the release said.

He said the man who stole the vehicle was not a hospital patient.

The department said public safety vehicles are not commonly stolen. It will look at how to secure unattended ambulances in the future.

“Any time someone makes the very poor decision to steal a public safety vehicle, they put themselves and everyone around them in danger,” Willoughby Hills Fire Chief Robert Gandee said in the Press release. “Thankfully, the quick heroic actions of firefighter/paramedic Brian Paladino avoided a potentially more disastrous scenario. »