LIMESTONE COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) – A Meridianville man stole three vehicles, including an ambulance and fire truck early Sunday, according to the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office.
The Sheriff’s Office said an Athens-Limestone EMS crew noticed a vehicle – later determined to be stolen – wrecked in the southbound lanes of US-31 near Pryor Field around 1 a.m. They stopped to check on the lone person inside, Tyrek Dequavyious Hayes, 30.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, Hayes got into the back of the ambulance, bypassed the patient compartment, and entered the driver’s seat of the ambulance. At the time, one EMT was in the patient area, while the other was stepping into the patient area. The Sheriff’s Office stated Hayes took off, throwing one EMT off the ambulance and trapping the other in the patient area.
Hayes drove north on US-31 and ran off the road while crossing Martin Lime Road, nearly landing in Swan Creek. The Morgan County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit was called to assist and began tracking Hayes. While MCSO was tracking Hayes, he managed to run away from the scene in the creek under US-31. Hayes made it back out to the highway, where the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office said he stole a Tanner Volunteer Fire Department truck.
He drove the truck south on US-31, where law enforcement spotted him and began pursuing the stolen fire truck. Hayes ran off the road onto westbound Flower Hill Way. After driving nearly a quarter-mile off-road, Hayes totaled the fire truck in a thicket.
Hayes ran from law enforcement, but Athens Police and Limestone County deputies caught him a short time later.
Hayes was charged with:
- First-degree theft (x2)
- Second-degree assault
- First-degree kidnapping
- Reckless endangerment
- Attempting to elude law enforcement
- Possession of marijuana
- Possession of drug paraphernalia
He was booked into the Limestone County Jail. As of Sunday afternoon, his bond had not yet been set.