A dramatic incident unfolded on Friday afternoon when a Northwest Side man allegedly carjacked an ambulance from Loretto Hospital and led Chicago police on a chaotic chase filled with crashes. Lamont Hill, 59, now faces a multitude of felony charges, including vehicular hijacking, kidnapping, and aggravated reckless driving. He is scheduled to appear for a detention hearing at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse on Monday afternoon.
The incident began when Cicero paramedics were delivering a patient to the hospital and Hill was being escorted out of the facility by security. Seizing an opportunity, Hill reportedly jumped into the driver’s seat of the ambulance with two members of the crew nearby and one paramedic still in the back. The paramedic in the rear managed to escape a few blocks away, while another paramedic alerted the police, who quickly located the stolen ambulance and initiated a pursuit.
The chase took police through several West Side neighborhoods before Hill was cornered near Jackson Boulevard and Central Avenue near Columbus Park. Despite being boxed in, Hill managed to ram squad cars and break free, continuing the chase. The intense encounter was captured on video and circulated on social media.
The chase eventually came to a crashing end when Hill collided with a police vehicle and another car near Cicero and Chicago avenues. Hill and several others, including three officers and four civilians, were taken to the hospital for injuries related to the pursuit. Although a police officer discharged at least one shot during the incident, no gunshot injuries were reported. The officer involved has been placed on administrative duty pending a review by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability.
Hill now faces a long list of charges, including vehicular hijacking, kidnapping, aggravated battery of a peace officer, possession of a stolen motor vehicle, criminal damage to government property, attempting to disarm a peace officer, aggravated fleeing, aggravated reckless driving causing bodily harm, and leaving the scene of an injury crash.
This unique and detailed report provides insight into the unfolding events of the ambulance hijacking and subsequent chase. Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story.
