Paramedics will not be disciplined in stolen ambulance case, Fire Chief Hood says

Patient took ambulance for wild ride before crashing Tuesday

SAN ANTONIO – The paramedics who had their Emergency Medical Services stolen by a patient will not be disciplined, San Antonio Fire Department Chief Charles Hood said Thursday. 
                     
Alfred Trevino, 33, was being tended to when he jumped into the ambulance, locked the doors and took off in the unit, leading police on a wild chase that ended on Interstate 10 West near Loop 410 when he crashed into four vehicles, police said. 
 
One of the vehicles, a van, flipped over. The driver of the van was taken to a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. 
 
"The person that you are taking care of could seem like the nicest person in the world, and then all of a sudden, something snaps in them and you can't predict that, that's the problem," Hood said.
                    
Hood said the department has been looking into options for anti-theft devices for EMS units. 
                     
"We have been looking at different interlocking devices for the last year or two, just trying to see what makes sense for us," he said. "We have a large EMS fleet (and want to) make sure that everyone understands what this particular device does." 

One of the devices being looked at requires the paramedic to push a button and remove the key to disable the unit.

The other device requires a positive action before the vehicle can be taken out of park, which is usually a push button or a code on a keypad every time it's taken from park to any gear, SAFD spokesman Woody Woodward said.

There is no timetable for when the device would be purchased, Woodward said.

Hood said $16,000 worth of damage was done to the EMS unit.

Trevino faces a laundry list of charges.


About the Authors:

Reporter, proud Houstonian, U of H alumni, and lover of all the hometown sport teams.

David Ibañez has been managing editor of KSAT.com since the website's launch in October 2000.