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Sheriff: Woman Stole Ambulance From Paramedics Who Were Helping Her, Led Chase From Riverbank To Escalon

RIVERBANK (CBS13) — Authorities say a woman who was at first being treated by paramedics in Riverbank on Wednesday ended up stealing their ambulance - and it took using a beanbag gun to help bring her into custody.

Stanislaus County deputies say, a little before 1:30 p.m., an ambulance was stolen from paramedics along the 3100 block of Orange Avenue.

The medics were apparently treating a woman when, somehow, she took off with the ambulance.

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Deputies were soon able to find the ambulance in the area and started to chase it. The woman turned on the lights and sirens during the chase as well.

She was able to cross over the Stanislaus River and soon made it into Escalon. There, officers did a high-risk enforcement stop and brought the ambulance to a halt near the intersection of 4th and Main streets.

RELATED: Officers Use Spike Strips To Stop Woman In Stolen Stockton Ambulance

Still, the woman - later identified as 29-year-old Savanna Proffitt - was allegedly not willing to surrender. Eventually, authorities fired a less-than-lethal beanbag gun and her and took her into custody.

Proffitt was first taken to a hospital in San Joaquin County before she was booked into jail in Stanislaus County. She's now facing charges of auto theft.

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