Paramedics were inside a nearby home when the ambulance suddenly rolled away
COLUMBIA, PA — An ambulance parked outside a Pennsylvania home for a medical call suddenly became the center of another emergency when a 23-year-old man allegedly climbed behind the wheel, drove it in a large circle and returned it to the same area, according to police.
Elijah Jordan Leed, of the 1000 block of Barber Street in Columbia, is charged with theft by unlawful taking and driving without a license in connection with the July 20 incident.
The case is now headed to Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas after Judge Miles Bixler ruled at a July 28 preliminary hearing that the charges could proceed, according to the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office.
Police said the ambulance had been parked in the 1100 block of Grinnell Avenue while paramedics responded to a medical call at a nearby residence during the early morning hours.
A paramedic told police that he was inside the residence when he witnessed Leed enter the ambulance shortly after 4:30 a.m. and begin driving away.
Leed allegedly drove the ambulance in a large circle before bringing it back to the location where it had initially been parked, according to the paramedic’s account to police.
After the ambulance returned, Leed was removed from the driver’s seat and restrained until officers arrived, the paramedic told investigators.
Police said Leed did not have permission to operate the ambulance and did not have a valid driver’s license.
Leed remained in Lancaster County Prison in lieu of $25,000 bail as of the latest case update Friday.
Columbia Borough Police Officer Zachary Thorne filed the charges.
Leed is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Key Points
- Elijah Jordan Leed, 23, is accused of taking an ambulance while paramedics were responding to a medical call in Columbia.
- Police say Leed drove the ambulance in a large circle before returning it to the area where it had been parked.
- His case will proceed to Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas on theft and driving-without-a-license charges.
