9/1/24 Schenectady, NY – Man Steals Ambulance At Medical Call With Patient In Back – Lets Patient Out At Gas Station – Police Spot Him For 30 Mile Chase Believing The Patient Was In The Ambulance Without EMTs – Horrific Crash With Civilian Vehicle At Intersection – Civilian In Critical Condition

September 1, 2024

www.cbs.com

A man is in custody and another person is in critical condition following a chase and crash involving a stolen ambulance Saturday night in New York.

According to the New York State Police, emergency medical services responded to assist a woman who was suffering from a diabetic emergency.

After the patient was loaded into the ambulance, Adam C. Cole, 25, of Schenectady, allegedly told the two EMS personnel that there was a second medical emergency nearby. As the two EMS personnel got out of the ambulance, Cole got into the driver’s seat and drove off.

A short time later, a Schoharie County Sheriff’s Deputy spotted the ambulance traveling east on I-88 and attempted to make a traffic stop, but Cole failed to comply, according to State Police. State Police patrols responded and joined the pursuit. At this time, it was believed that the female patient from the original medical call was still inside the ambulance.

As the pursuit left Schoharie County, State Police patrols took the lead. The ambulance continued onto the NYS Thruway, I-890, and then entered the city of Schenectady. Cole was traveling on Eastern Avenue when he entered the intersection with Brandywine Avenue and crashed into a 1988 Nissan 300Z. The ambulance finally came to rest on its side, at the intersection of Eastern Avenue and McClellan Street.

The driver of the Nissan, Jesus Espinal Jr., 24, of Utica, suffered serious injuries in the crash and was transported to Albany Medical Center where he is in critical condition. Cole was the only person in the ambulance at the time of the crash and was not seriously injured. He remains in custody and multiple charges are pending. Cole also has an active arrest warrant out of the Schenectady County Sheriff’s Office for Grand Larceny 3rd degree.

During the investigation, it was learned that shortly after taking the ambulance, Cole pulled over on Route 7 in Cobleskill and the medical patient got out at a Speedway gas station. She was transported in a private vehicle to a hospital where she was treated and released.