An unlocked ambulance became a moving crime scene because one decision—leaving the cab accessible for a moment—let a naked suspect turn a routine call into an 18-mile public-safety test.
Quick Take
- Benjamin L. Feltz, 37, allegedly drove off in a Wisconsin Rapids ambulance while naked, with a patient strapped to a gurney in the back.
- Two paramedics exited for safety, forcing police to treat a vehicle pursuit like a hostage rescue with wheels.
- The chase ran about 40 minutes and ended when the ambulance got stuck in a muddy field near Pittsville.
- Tire deflation devices and a drone helped officers end the incident without reported injury to the patient or responders.
The moment the ambulance moved, the mission changed from medical care to containment
Wisconsin Rapids responders arrived for a non-emergency medical call around 5:35 p.m. on February 17, 2026, expecting the familiar rhythm of patient loading, paperwork, and a careful drive to evaluation. Instead, police say Feltz climbed into the driver’s seat of the Wisconsin Rapids Fire Department ambulance while naked and pulled away as the patient lay secured in the rear. Paramedics got out, choosing survival over heroics.
That split-second decision by the paramedics deserves more credit than it will get in the jokes online. EMS workers are trained to treat, not to wrestle drivers or fight for steering wheels. When a scene turns criminal, they can’t “power through” the way Hollywood tells them to. A patient strapped to a gurney cannot brace for evasive turns, sudden braking, or a collision. Once the ambulance moved, the priority became stopping it safely.
Why this chase felt different: a patient in the back turns every tactic into a liability question
Police pursuits already carry political and moral weight, because the public understands the risk when speeds rise on open roads. Add a vulnerable civilian in the very vehicle being chased, and every option gets narrower. Officers can’t treat it like a stolen sedan. They have to weigh the chance of a crash against the chance that the driver keeps going. In conservative, common-sense terms: protect innocents first, and end the threat quickly.
Authorities say the pursuit ran about 18 miles from Wisconsin Rapids toward Pittsville, near Highway 73/80. Officers attempted tire-deflation more than once. Early attempts failed, then Pittsville police successfully deployed a device that disabled the front passenger tire. That detail sounds small until you picture the alternative: a full-speed stop or a forced ram that could flip an ambulance. The measured approach signaled discipline, not hesitation.
Technology mattered, but coordination mattered more
Modern policing tools show their value when they prevent injuries rather than create viral moments. Reports describe a drone used to monitor the situation, driven by “urgent concern” for the patient’s welfare. That’s not gadget worship; that’s eyes-on without putting more bodies in danger. A drone can confirm whether the patient remains secured, whether doors open, and whether a suspect is reaching for something—all without escalating a close-quarters confrontation.
Inter-agency cooperation also did the heavy lifting. Wisconsin Rapids Police Department, the Wood County Sheriff’s Office, Pittsville Police, and other supporting agencies kept pressure on the suspect while avoiding the panic that can produce catastrophic mistakes. Small communities often face criticism for limited resources, yet this incident highlights the opposite truth: mutual aid and clear command structure can scale up quickly. The result was a resolution that avoided the nightmare headline everyone feared.
The muddy field ending delivered the best outcome, not the most cinematic one
The chase ended around 6:15 p.m. when the ambulance became stuck in a muddy field. Officers gave commands; the suspect refused to comply at first. That standoff phase is where tragedies often happen, especially when adrenaline and confusion collide. Instead, police held the perimeter, used the drone, and coordinated a controlled arrest. Feltz was taken into custody without reported injury, still naked, and the patient remained physically unharmed.
After the arrest, both the patient and Feltz were taken to Aspirus Wisconsin Rapids Hospital for evaluation, according to reports, and the ambulance was towed with minor damage. Those facts matter because they separate entertainment from reality. The public sees “ambulance chase” and expects carnage. This ended with medical checks and paperwork—exactly what competent emergency management aims for. A “boring” ending is usually the right ending in public safety.
The deeper lesson: secure critical assets because the next threat won’t be this absurd
Feltz reportedly faced recommended charges, including a third OWI offense, and remained booked in the Wood County Jail as of later reports. Courts will decide guilt, but the operational lesson sits outside the courtroom: ambulances, like patrol cars, are critical assets that can’t become easy targets during the chaos of patient care. Locking protocols, cab security, and situational awareness sound mundane until one incident ties up agencies across a county.
The broader public conversation tends to drift toward mockery because nudity makes the story feel unreal. That reaction misses the risk. A non-emergency call can turn into a countywide emergency in a minute, and the patient in the back becomes everyone’s responsibility. Common sense says systems should assume human unpredictability and close the gaps before the next incident. The technology will improve, but discipline—procedures followed every single time—will always matter more.
Body-camera and squad footage releases will keep driving attention, but the real takeaway sits with the responders who walked away from a moving danger and the officers who refused to turn a pursuit into a spectacle. Public safety succeeds when it prevents injury, not when it collects dramatic clips.
Sources:
Naked man steals ambulance with patient inside in Wood County, Wisconsin, police say – ABC7 Chicago
Suspect steals Wisconsin Rapids ambulance with patient inside, leads police on chase – FOX 11 Online
Video: Naked Wis. man steals ambulance with patient inside, sparks 18-mile pursuit – Police1
Wisconsin police chase ambulance stolen video – The Independent
