When First Responders get the call, any call, they are ready. They are always ready, no matter what.
Sometimes it is routine. And sometimes...not so routine.
They are always here to assist, to serve, and to protect San Saba County citizens and visitors.
The story below (which contains a San Saba County Sheriff's Office Press Release) is from an incident last November regarding one of those not so routine calls.
This event was originally covered last November by the San Saba News & Star. You can find this story Ambulance stolen, culprit caught on our website www.sansabanews.com.
Ambulance stolen, culprit caught
By Djuana Payton, Editor
On the evening of November 4th, 911 dispatch received a call for a subject trespassing. The suspect ran on foot from law enforcement, but he was apprehended.
Law enforcement then had the perpetrator checked out by EMS. He was having some health issues.
When EMS was in the process of transporting him, he became violent and proceeded to steal their ambulance. During the chase, the ambulance rolled over and was damaged. No EMS personnel were in the vehicle at the time, and the suspect was not injured in the accident.
Law enforcement caught the suspect again, took him to the hospital, and had him checked out. He was arrested on multiple charges and is currently in custody in the San Saba County Jail.
Charges:
Theft of property $150,000$300,000; two counts of assault on EMS personnel, criminal trespass, and eluding arrest.
No one was hurt in this incident, not the EMS personnel or the suspect.
Chief Deputy Reid Daly, who provided this information on November 5th, was not able to provide photos as those photos are part of the investigation.
However, we were provided with some photos, but the source asked to remain anonymous.
Press Release from San Saba Sheriff’s Office
On November 4, 2024, at approximately 11:45 PM, the San Saba County Sheriff’s Office received a call through the non-emergency line regarding a domestic disturbance at Cabo RV Park. Out of precaution, due to reports that the individual was allegedly armed with a bat, the on-duty deputy from the San Saba County Sheriff’s Office and officer from the San Saba Police Department were dispatched.
Upon arrival, law enforcement encountered a male individual causing a disturbance on the property. Given the potential threat to nearby residents, the K9 handler deployed K9 Andor on leash as a precautionary measure. The subject, when located, ignored multiple commands from officers and ultimately fled on foot. Officers were able to deescalate the situation and bring the individual into compliance.
Due to apparent health concerns, EMS was requested to evaluate the subject, who was subsequently determined to require transport to a local hospital for further assessment. Initially calm and cooperative, the subject was placed in an ambulance with Hamilton EMS personnel for transport.
During transit, however, the subject became combative and attacked EMS personnel, forcing them to evacuate the ambulance. The individual then gained control of the ambulance and crashed the vehicle shortly thereafter. Law enforcement responded swiftly, placing the subject into custody and transporting him to a hospital for evaluation.
After being medically cleared, he was released to the San Saba County Sheriff’s Office, where he was booked in on November 5, 2024, and remains in custody.
At this time, no further details are available, as the incident remains under active investigation.
This incident serves as a solemn reminder of the risks our first responders face daily in service to our community. We extend our gratitude to the San Saba Police Department, Hamilton EMS, and Texas DPS for their rapid response and invaluable assistance. We are thankful that all first responders were able to return home safely at the end of their shifts.
Hamilton EMS has assured the public that this setback will not impact emergency medical response times for the San Saba community. A reserve unit has been deployed to replace the ambulance involved in the incident.