By Eric Fleischauer
The Decatur Daily
ATHENS, Ala. — A burglar who stole a vehicle in Athens early this morning wrecked it near Pryor Field airport, then sought to elude police in a stolen ambulance and then a stolen fire truck, according to the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office.
Tyrek Dequavyious Hayes, 30, of Meridianville, is in Limestone County Jail after the Sheriff’s Office says he injured an emergency medical technician who fell out of the ambulance and left another EMT locked in the back as he fled.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, Hayes wrecked the vehicle he stole in Athens on U.S. 31 near the airport. At approximately 1 a.m., EMTs in an Athens-Limestone EMS ambulance stopped to check on its occupant.
“Upon entering the back of the ambulance, Hayes bypassed the patient compartment and entered the driver’s seat,” according to a statement by the Sheriff’s Office. “One EMT was still in the patient area, while one was stepping into the patient area from the rear. Hayes took off, throwing one EMT from the ambulance and trapping the other in the rear compartment.”
Hayes drove the ambulance north until he left U.S. 31 crossing Martin Line Road and nearly landed it in Swan Creek, according to the statement. He then left the ambulance on foot in the creek, westbound from U.S. 31.
The Morgan County Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit tracked him through the woods, but Hayes made it back to U.S. 31, stole a Tanner Volunteer Fire Department fire truck and headed southbound, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Law enforcement spotted him and pursued the fire truck until Hayes left the roadway at Flower Hill Way.
“After traveling about a quarter mile off road, Hayes wrecked into a thicket, where he totaled the fire truck,” according to the statement.
Hayes then fled on foot but was apprehended by Athens police officers and Limestone deputies, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Hayes is being held with no bond set on two counts of first-degree theft, second-degree assault, first-degree kidnapping, reckless endangerment, attempting to elude law enforcement, and marijuana possession.
Sheriff Joshua McLaughlin said his office received assistance from the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office, Athens police, Decatur police and Alabama Law Enforcement Agency troopers and aviation units.
“Our prayers are with our injured EMT and we wish her a speedy recovery,” McLaughlin said in the statement.
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