Gary Man Arrested After Stealing Ambulance, Fleeing Cops

CHICAGO (STMW) -- A northwest Indiana man was arrested after allegedly leading police on a chase from Indiana to the South Chicago neighborhood in a stolen ambulance Tuesday afternoon.

Edwin Herrera, 34, of Gary was charged with possession of a stolen vehicle and ordered held on a $250,000 bond Wednesday by Cook County Judge Adam Bourgeois Jr., according to a spokesperson for the Cook County State's Attorney's office.

Lake County (Ind.) Sheriff's officers responded just after 12:30 p.m. Tuesday to a report of an ambulance stolen near West Ridge Road and Cline Avenue in Highland, Ind., the sheriff's office said in a statement.

Authorities used GPS to track the ambulance, which is registered to Prompt Ambulance of Highland, the statement said.

Police spotted the ambulance near Indianapolis Boulevard and Chicago Avenue, and Chicago Police joined the chase as it entered Illinois.

The ambulance eventually turned and entered a grassy field in the 9000 block of South Mackinaw Street, where the driver was arrested without incident, police said. He was the only person in the ambulance.

Officials with the ambulance company later arrived to take back the vehicle.

Additional charges are pending against Herrera in Lake County, the statement said. He is next scheduled to appear in court in Cook County in Branch 38 on March 25.