The *Daily Herald* has published a follow-up story about the theft of an Arlington Heights ambulance from Northwest Community Hospital last week, revealing a dramatic and dangerous chase that unfolded across multiple counties.
According to police, Samantha Sligar managed to sneak out of the hospital in the early hours of Friday morning while paramedics were restocking supplies. She climbed into an idling, unlocked ambulance—Ambulance No. 4—and made a quick exit. The incident occurred around 4 a.m., and by the time the paramedics realized the ambulance was missing, it was already on the move.
Two hours later, more than 150 miles away, the stolen ambulance came to a stop near Interstate 57 in Rantoul, Illinois. Police there arrested Sligar without incident. When questioned, she reportedly said she was heading to her job at a St. Louis department store, but also mentioned considering a trip to Marion, Illinois. She claimed her car and wallet had been stolen, though no evidence of this has been released yet.
What followed was a high-speed pursuit that involved multiple law enforcement agencies. Within 20 minutes of the theft, authorities issued an alert, and Rolling Meadows police were among the first to spot the ambulance. It then traveled east on I-90, with squad cars from several departments chasing it closely.
At 4:40 a.m., an emergency alert was issued, and police in Matteson spotted the ambulance heading south on I-57. However, Sligar ignored their commands to pull over. Later, both Manteno and Kankakee County officers attempted to stop the vehicle, which was reportedly speeding recklessly down the highway, using its lights and sirens aggressively. At one point, she evaded Illinois State Police at 80 mph, according to officials.
As the ambulance approached the Ford/Champaign county line, authorities faced a critical decision. Troopers who were supposed to take over the chase were instead responding to a major accident involving several semitrailers at milepost 211, causing traffic to come to a standstill.
In response, Rantoul police deployed spike strips across the southbound lanes of I-57. The devices punctured the ambulance’s front left tire, slowing it down. Despite this, Sligar continued driving for a short time before finally coming to a stop around milepost 250. She was taken into custody without any issues and is currently being held at the Rantoul police station.
This incident has raised concerns about security at local hospitals and the risks associated with unauthorized access to emergency vehicles. Officials are now reviewing protocols to prevent similar incidents in the future. Meanwhile, the stolen ambulance has since returned to service and was seen at a fire scene in Long Grove on Monday night.
Fluid Bed Coater,Fluidized Bed Coater,Pellets Fluidized Bed Coater,Pellets Fluid Bed Coater
Changzhou Bole Tech Co.,Ltd , https://www.boledrying.com