WILLOUGHBY, Ohio — A Willoughby Hills firefighter/paramedic is being credited with stopping a suspect from stealing one of the department's ambulances.
The incident happened on Sunday, June 16, at around 10:30 a.m. at the emergency ambulance entrance of University Hospitals Lake West Medical Center.
According to the Willoughby Hills Fire Department, the ambulance arrived at the hospital to exchange a used drug box that was used for the treatment of a previous patient who was not transported.
While the crew exited the hospital, they saw a man standing behind the ambulance. Moments later, the suspect was seen getting into the passenger seat of the ambulance and then sliding to the driver's seat, starting to drive away.
As the incident unfolded, firefighter/paramedic Brian Paladino jumped though the open window on the driver side door of the stolen ambulance and "quickly subdued the male driver of the stolen ambulance. As he was subduing the male, he quickly took actions to maneuver the ambulance from being able to be driven any further by muscling the steering wheel out of the males hands."
Video of the moment can be watched in the media player at the top of the story.
As a result, the ambulance jumped a curb, crashing into the helicopter landing pad at the hospital.
Paladinos's partner and hospital staff assisted him with securing the driver until police arrived. Upon arriving at the scene, Willoughby police took 19-year-old Jamarion Hill, the suspect from Warren, into custody.
Hill is being charged with the following:
- One count of robbery
- One count of auto theft
- One count of disrupting public service
- One count of misconduct at an emergency
Officials say that Paladino suffered a minor ankle and arm injury. In addition, the Willoughby Hills Ambulance also had "moderate damage" from the incident.
“Anytime, someone makes the extremely poor decision to steal a public safety vehicle is putting themselves and everyone around them at risk. Thankfully, the quick heroic actions of Firefighter/Paramedic Brian Paladino averted a potentially more disastrous scenario," said Willoughby Hills Fire Chief Robert Gandee.
Hill was arraigned on Monday and is being held on a $50,000 bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for Thursday, June 20.