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Man accused of stealing ambulance, ramming patrol vehicle after chase

Oregon State Police say a California man stole an ambulance from a crash scene on Interstate 5 Friday night and fled from police before eventually being arrested.

At 7:30 p.m. Friday, state troopers and medics responded to a single-vehicle crash on the freeway just north of Woodburn, police wrote in a statement Saturday morning.

When troopers arrived at the crash scene, the driver of the crashed vehicle, identified by police as 30-year-old Noor Mohammad Baheej of Winnetka, California, tried to flee.

“The driver returned and stole the Woodburn ambulance that was on scene,” according to the statement. Police did not clarify how he was able to steal the ambulance.

The suspect drove north on the freeway into Portland, where he continued avoiding police.

Troopers tried to pin the ambulance but driver rammed a patrol vehicle, struck a building and continued eluding police.

The ambulance was subsequently located on the freeway southbound near milepost 295, on the south side of Portland. Police said the driver stopped the ambulance and tried to get into another vehicle on the highway when troopers arrested him. He showed multiple signs of impairment, police wrote in the statement.

Baheej was charged with driving under the influence, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, attempting to elude, reckless driving and hit-and-run.

Contact reporter Ardeshir Tabrizian: [email protected] or 503-929-3053.

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