N.C. Man Accused of Crashing Stolen EMS Rescue Vehicle
ALLEGHANY COUNTY, N.C. --
An Alleghany County man is in serious condition after stealing and crashing the vehicle that would have been used to rescue him, deputies in Alleghany County said Wednesday.
Deputies said Richard Shane Walser, 44, stole the vehicle from the Laurel Springs Volunteer Fire Department on Highway 18 sometime after 11 p.m. on Tuesday.
A call was made to 911 at about 11:30 p.m. that Walser had crashed the vehicle about 4 miles down the road from the fire station.
When volunteer fire fighters who were called to respond arrived at the fire station, they found that the rescue vehicle had been stolen, deputies said.
A second vehicle from several miles away in Sparta was then brought in to rescue Walser, who was taken to Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem.
Deputies investigating the crash said they went to Walser's house and found 147 marijuana plants growing inside.
Deputies said troopers are also investigating the possibility that alcohol contributed to the crash.
So far, Walser hasn't been charged in connection with the theft of the rescue vehicle or the marijuana growing operation. Walser has an outstanding arrest warrant in Forsyth County on similar marijuana growing charges.
Walser's girlfriend, Elizabeth King, has been charged with growing marijuana and distributing marijuana.
Deputies said the couple lived together at the home.
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