COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – A local man found himself in a peculiar predicament over the weekend when he inadvertently ended his own police chase by driving a stolen ambulance onto the sheriff’s office lawn.
Stanley Williams, 35, is facing charges of grand theft and fleeing and eluding following the unusual incident that took place on Saturday night in Columbia County. The series of events began when a deputy was called to assist emergency medical services with an individual suffering from what was described as an “altered mental state,” potentially due to drug influence.
In the midst of the confusion, Williams allegedly managed to commandeer the ambulance, sparking a chase with local deputies. The pursuit took an unexpected turn when Williams drove the stolen vehicle onto the grounds of the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office Operations Center.
Sheriff Mark Hunter expressed his surprise at the unusual turn of events. “It’s not every day a pursuit ends at our front door,” he said. “This just goes to show that we never know what we will encounter from one moment to the next. I’m glad nobody was hurt, and the suspect was not able to pose a greater risk to our community.”
Fortunately, the incident resulted in only minor cosmetic damage to the lawn and no harm to the sheriff’s office property. Following his arrest, Williams was taken to a local hospital for further evaluation. Charges are currently being filed and will be referred to the State Attorney’s Office.