Samantha Sligar Charged with Felony Possession of Stolen Vehicle — Arlington Heights Fire/Rescue Ambulance

Samantha Sligar, 27, of Minneapolis, Minnesota was charged with possession of a stolen vehicle, after she allegedly stole a rescue paramedic ambulance from Northwest Community Hospital. “Ambulance 4” primarily serves the north side of Arlington Heights Road — north of Rand Road and north of Palatine Road.

The ambulance vehicle — Reserve Ambulance R2 — was functioning as a front line ambulance “Ambulance 4” when the paramedic crew transported a patient with a medical emergency to Northwest Community Hospital’s emergency room. After they completed transfer of their patient, they walked back to the ambulance bay on the west side of the hospital, and discovered the ambulance was gone.

Early in the incident’s unfolding, the offender was described as a female driver — either from video surveillance or from a witness that may have seen the ambulance drive away.

The crime was reported to have occurred just before 4:13 a.m.

Within minutes, police across the Chicagoland and Illinois were alerted to the stolen ambulance. Several police agencies reported seeing the ambulance as it traveled on eastbound I-90. Rolling Meadows police picked it up entering Route 53 at Algonquin Road. Police were able to keep an eye on it safely without starting a dangerous chase. Police agencies, including Rolling Meadows, Des Plaines, Matteson, and the Illinois State Police assisted Arlington Heights police.

There were sightings of the ambulance on Interstate 90 eastbound near Arlington Heights Road at about 4:30 a.m.

The ambulance was sighted on eastbound I-90 near I-294 at about 4:36 a.m.

The ambulance was sighted on eastbound I-90 near Harlem at about 4:41 a.m. At this time the ambulance was traveling about 70 mph and was driven with all lights off.

The ambulance was sighted entering the Dan Ryan Expressway at 35th Street at 4:51 a.m.

The ambulance was sighted southbound on the Dan Ryan Expressway at 87th Street at 4:57 a.m.

The ambulance was sighted southbound on the Dan Ryan Expressway at 147th Street at 5:03 a.m.

The ambulance was sighted southbound on I-57 at US 30 at 5:09 a.m.

The ambulance was sighted southbound on I-57 at Sauk Trail at 5:10 a.m.

Later the ambulance was spotted by Matteson police about 5:30 a.m.

Spike strips were requested across the southbound lanes of Interstate 57 for tire deflation as the ambulance was driven near Rantoul, which is just north of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Rantoul police officers then waited for the ambulance, which was seen with its lights and siren on and with other motorists driven off the road to get out of its way.

The ambulance was stopped at about 6:15 a.m. and Sligar was transported into custody to Rantoul Police Department Headquarters.

No injuries were report during the two-hour incident.

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