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Clayton County: Stolen ambulance chase leads to crash near Tara Boulevard, Dixon Road

By and FOX 5 Atlanta Digital Team
Updated  April 17, 2024 10:41pm EDT
Clayton County
FOX 5 Atlanta

Patient hijacks ambulance with medics inside

Officials rescued two terrified medics trapped in a stolen ambulance hijacked by their patient in Henry County. The suspect took them all on a high speed chase before crashing in Clayton County.

CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. - The man accused of stealing a private ambulance and leading authorities on a high-speed chase is now being charged.  

Ladarius Williams was booked into the Clayton County Jail on charges of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, felony fleeing, obstruction, theft by taking, and hit-and-run. 

Williams is accused of hijacking the ambulance from Piedmont Henry Hospital in Henry County as medics prepared to transport him to Piedmont Regional. According to the Clayton County Sheriff's Office, those medics were forced to jump from the moving ambulance. 

Ladarius Williams

Ladarius Williams (Clayton County Sheriff's Office)

Georgia State Patrol says troopers were notified around 1 p.m. and quickly spotted the vehicle near the intersection of Tara Boulevard and Interstate 75. The driver did not stop, continuing into Clayton County. 

Troopers tried to perform a PIT maneuver several times, but due to the size of the ambulance and the speed, troopers said the attempts were unsuccessful. 

Troopers say Williams eventually drove the ambulance into residential areas in Clayton County and Morrow. 

Ambulance thief leads high speed chase

Police have arrested Ladarius Williams, the man accused of stealing a private ambulance and leading authorities on a high-speed chase through Jonesboro before crashing.

The Atlanta Police ACE unit put down stop sticks to try to stop the vehicle, but the driver swerved, avoiding the spikes and nearly hitting an officer, troopers said. 

In a statement to FOX 5, the Clayton County Sheriff's Office wrote in part: 

"The suspect fled into Clayton County, where he had no regard for human life or property, using an ambulance as a wrecking ball, hitting multiple police cars, and causing property damage." 

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A man is accused of stealing an ambulance and leading authorities on a high-speed chase before crash along Tara Boulevard and Dixon Road near Jonesboro on April 17, 2024. (Clayton County Sheriff’s Office) 

Troopers said Williams struck both stopped and moving patrol cars, drove onto private property, struck mailboxes, and destroyed property with "reckless disregard." 

More law enforcement agencies continued attempts to stop the vehicle, continuing to attempt PIT maneuvers. Troopers said a second attempt at stop sticks was able to deflate the rear tires but didn't bring the chase to an end. 

Now heading north on Tara Boulevard in the southbound lanes, troopers said the need to stop the stolen ambulance grew desperate.  

One final PIT maneuver caused the speeding ambulance to lose control, driving through the median and lanes, and ended up crashing against a pole. 

Williams took off running, and eventually law enforcement officers used a Taser on him, according to troopers. 

SKYFOX 5 flew over the area of Tara Boulevard and Dixon Road where the ambulance ended up crashing into a pole. 

Traffic in the area was snarled for several hours. 

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