Stolen Ambulance, Fleeing Patient Keep Weekend Lively at California Hospital

Oct. 31--Fast-paced television medical shows had nothing on Sutter Medical Center on Sunday, where a DOA homicide victim arrived in a private vehicle, a patient allegedly drove off in an ambulance and a suspected drunken driver bolted from the back of another ambulance.

The first of the three dramatic events occurred around 3 a.m Sunday when an officer working at the hospital was hailed by medical staff about a patient who had driven off in the ambulance.

The stolen ambulance call was broadcast on police radio and an officer with the McGeorge Law School police in Oak Park saw the vehicle in the area of Fifth and Broadway. A lengthy pursuit began by officers.

Eventually, the ambulance crashed on Highway 99, just south of Elverta Road, according to the Sacramento police watch summary. The suspected ambulance thief was taken to the hospital with minor injuries, apparently in another ambulance.

Then, at about 4 a.m. Sunday, an officer parked on 29th Street near Sutter hospital's ambulance bay saw a man flee out the back doors of an ambulance. He then broke free from ambulance medical personnel and ran across 29th Street to a parking garage.

Medical personnel told officers that their erstwhile patient was under the influence. The officer gave chase on foot.

The suspected DUI patient was caught and violently resisted, according to police. Eventually he was handcuffed and turned over to the California Highway Patrol.

The man had been involved in an earlier traffic crash being investigated by the CHP. He was taken back to the hospital where he was admitted.

Finally, about 10:30 p.m. Sunday, a private vehicle was driven to the hospital with a man who had been shot. He had been wounded while standing outside a home in the 1100 block of G Street in Rio Linda about 10 p.m.

The man, who has not been identified, arrived at Sutter hospital without a pulse. He was declared dead.

Bill Lindelof: 916-321-1079, @Lindelofnews

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