Wisconsin Rapids mayor: stolen ambulance recovered after brief chase; patient unharmed

Mayor Matt Zacker said an ambulance was stolen Tuesday afternoon in Wisconsin Rapids while paramedics were attending a patient, but the vehicle was recovered and the patient was unharmed.

"All the people are safe," Zacker said, thanking the Wisconsin Rapids Police Department, the sheriff's office, state troopers and Pittsville officers for working together to stop the vehicle. He described how responders "narrow[ed] the box" and disabled the ambulance's tires, causing it to stop in a field near Pittsville.

Zacker said paramedics were treating a patient in the ambulance when an individual entered the driver's seat and drove off. He said the paramedics exited the vehicle for safety, leaving the patient inside; officers then intercepted the ambulance on a route toward Pittsville.

The mayor said Fire Chief Ben Gourgeault is checking the vehicle to determine whether it sustained significant damage and can be returned to service. Zacker added: "So thank you, you know, to all the EMS, the police, and everybody that was a part of it and keeping their cool and making sure everybody got home safely."

No formal charges, booking details or criminal-court outcomes were discussed during the interview. Zacker said the priority was ensuring the patient's and crews' safety and that the incident was resolved before the Common Council meeting convened.