(Council Bluffs) A Council Bluffs man faces numerous charges in Nebraska after stealing an ambulance and leading law enforcement on a pursuit.
According to the press release from the Council Bluffs Police Department, at approximately 7:28 a.m. on Saturday, a Council Bluffs ambulance was stolen from the Emergency Room Unloading Zone at Mercy Hospital (800 Mercy Dr, Council Bluffs, IA). There were no patients in the ambulance at the time of the theft. Firefighters ran on foot after the ambulance, unable to catch it as the suspect, later identified as Austin Patrick Risor, drove off.
Council Bluffs Police pursued the ambulance into the City of Omaha, where police took over the pursuit briefly until ABLE 1 (Omaha Police Helicopter) picked it up and tracked it from the air. A CBPD Crisis Negotiator utilizing the fire radio channel attempted to negotiate with the suspect to get him to stop and give up. Eventually, Omaha Police stopped the ambulance near 138th and Military Ave. in Omaha and arrested Risor.
Risor is charged with 1st-degree theft in Iowa and numerous charges with outstanding warrants in Nebraska.
