TMCnet News
Police: Ambulance theft suspect likely suffered a seizureCHAPEL HILL, Apr 07, 2011 (The Herald-Sun - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- The man who stole an ambulance and took a wild ride through his neighborhood, crashing into other vehicles and tearing up yards, suffered a seizure, according to a police report about the incident that occurred Friday. Police identified the man as Patrick Thomas Akos, 40, of 5 Deerwood Court, Chapel Hill. Akos is an associate professor at the School of Education at UNC and an author of numerous papers about school counseling and student transitions. Someone called for medical assistance at his home on Deerwood Court about 9 a.m. and as medical personal were treating him, he jumped up, ran out of the residence and got into the ambulance that was parked at the end of Deerwood Court cul-de-sac. The series of accident reports indicate he got in the ambulance, backed it up and hit a parked car, then moved forward and steered the ambulance to head out of the cul-de-sac but hit a fire truck that was also parked in the cul-de-sac. As he left Deerwood Court, he turned onto Grove Street, making a wide turn and running up into a yard, damaging the lawn and striking a Time Warner cable box. Akos did not stop, but continued through the neighborhood. From Wildwood Drive, he turned wide onto Emory Drive and ran through another yard, again damaging the yard and striking a cable box. He then crossed over Emory Drive and ran through another yard, drove through that yard and into another yard and came out on Leclair Street, a report said. He then sped down Leclair Street, turned on Longleaf Drive, hit the curb, took out a mailbox and some shrubs and then headed toward Willow Drive, where he hit a parked 1995 GMC vehicle. His trip ended back on Emory Drive, where he drove south at about 50 mph to the dead end, where he crashed into a parked 2005 Chevrolet. The impact knocked both vehicles into the woods, according to police. Akos then ran through the woods toward Grove Street, where police took him into custody and transported him to UNC Hospitals for treatment. Akos faces numerous charges, but police said they won't file those charges until he is released from the hospital. To see more of The Herald-Sun, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.herald-sun.com. Copyright (c) 2011, The Herald-Sun, Durham, N.C. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com. |