6/9/25 Effingham County, GA – Two Men In A Crashed Vehicle Steal Effingham County Ambulance From Accident Scene – Police Chase – Hits Police Car – Spike Strips – Crashes Into Ditch – Arrested

June 9, 2025

www.wtoc.com

 A small car crash quickly turned into a multi-area chase after police say a driver stole an ambulance at the scene and took off.

Rincon police spoke about the teamwork between agencies during Monday’s chase. WTOC got to speak with Rincon’s police chief following the incident.

Rincon Police Chief Jonathon Murrell said these two men ran from the scene of a crash, in which they were at fault, and then the driver took off in an ambulance at the scene.

He said he’s proud of the work multiple agencies did together to bring the two men to justice and stop others from getting hurt.

“Shoot the tires out and shoot me too.”— That was the response given to dispatch after they tried to tell 56-year-old Dwayne Simmons to pull over the ambulance that law enforcement said he stole, after a car crash, they say he caused.

This all began Monday evening with a crash involving two vehicles near McCall Road. Police say Dwayne Simmons and 51-year-old Georgell Brown caused a crash with another vehicle.

From there, the police said the two took off in different directions. Simmons went towards the ambulance that arrived at the crash, and Brown went in the other direction.

Deputies caught Brown soon after on foot. Simmons, on the other hand, went a different direction.

“The offender got into the ambulance and was trying to put it in gear, the paramedic was trying to put it in park through the window, and get the key out. During that time, there was a jabbing motion with an edged weapon at the paramedic, so they backed off, and that’s when the ambulance sped off,” said Rincon’s Police Chief Jonathon Murrell.

Rincon Police chased after that ambulance. They tried a PIT maneuver as it made its way towards Port Wentworth, but were unsuccessful.

Then the ambulance came across a spike strip Port Wentworth police put out, which led to the ambulance crashing near Saussy Road and Highway 21.

“The mentality of the person that’s willing to stab at a paramedic, steal an ambulance, flee in an ambulance, get on the radio in the ambulance and say law enforcement was going to have to shoot him, that concerned me for that individual getting 21 and Highway 30 to Highway 21 and 95, where it’s even more congested,” said Chief Murrell.

Simmons is now facing multiple charges, including driving without a license and aggravated assault.

He’s also facing charges of failure to obey traffic control device, Hit and run, Hijacking of a motor vehicle, Fleeing/attempting to elude police for a felony offense, Reckless driving, Willful interference with an emergency medical professional by use of threats or violence, Willful obstruction of law enforcement officers by use of threats or violence, and Interference with government property.

Brown is being charged with loitering.

“Everybody helped out, it was a great showing of everybody working together,” said Chief Murrell about the collaboration between Port Wentworth PD, Effingham County Sheriff’s Deputies, Rincon PD, along with Effingham EMS & Fire.

The two men have reportedly been uncooperative with law enforcement since they were placed under arrest, and it’s unclear exactly how they know each other.

Port Wentworth Police and the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office are handling the investigation from here.