Police apprehend psychiatric patient who drives off in ambulance
KUCHING: Police tracked down a psychiatric patient who drove off in an ambulance from the Accident and Emergency (A&E) Department at the Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) yesterday.
Deputy district police chief Supt Abang Junaidi Abang Annuar when contacted said the 36-year-old man from Siol Kandis, believed to be suffering from mental health issues, stole an ambulance belonging to a private hospital at 12.50pm and fled the scene.
It is understood that the man was being treated at the Yellow Zone since Monday, and according to his relative prior to the incident, the man had expressed his eagerness to be discharged from the emergency room and travel to Serian.
“Coincidentally, an ambulance that was referring a patient arrived and as paramedics were dropping a patient off, the man hopped into the unattended ambulance and drove off.
“Police recovered the ambulance parked by the side of a road in front of a shopping mall along Jalan Green about an hour later. While no one was inside the ambulance, police officers were informed by members of public that the man had entered the said shopping mall,” said Abang Junaidi.
He added police conducted a search but failed to locate the man. However, they managed to apprehend the man when he eventually found his way back to the hospital compound.
Abang Junaidi added that the man has been warded at the hospital for further examination. Further investigation is ongoing, including how the man was able to get behind the wheels of the ambulance.