An 83-year-old Long Island man stole an ambulance from a hospital he had checked himself out of, police say.
Donald Winkler was at Nassau University Medical Center on Tuesday reportedly receiving treatment for heart issues, when decided he wasn’t happy with the level of care he was receiving. He checked himself out of the hospital at about 1 a.m., and suddenly realized he needed a ride home. That’s when he jumped into a running ambulance and took off.
Police found Winkler and the ambulance at a 7-Eleven three miles away from the hospital.
Winkler was arrested and taken back to the hospital for an evaluation. He was charged with second-degree grand larceny and was arraigned at his bed.
According to NBC New York, the medic who left the keys in the ignition will be held responsible, but also noted that it’s common practice to leave the ignition running in an ambulance when dropping off patients.
Alex Hider is a writer for the E.W. Scripps National Desk. Follow him on Twitter @alexhider.
