Jillian McCarthy
The Daily Star, Oneonta, N.Y.
(TNS)
Sep. 2—An Amsterdam man has been charged with three felonies and a misdemeanor after stealing an ambulance, leading state police on a high-speed chase and colliding with another vehicle Saturday, Aug. 31.
Adam C. Cole, 25, has been charged with first-degree assault, criminal possession of stolen property totaling over $50,000, first-degree reckless endangerment and operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs.
According to state police, Schoharie EMS responded to Main Street in Cobleskill at 10:17 p.m. to assist a woman who was suffering from a diabetic emergency.
Two EMS personnel loaded the patient into the ambulance, and Cole approached to tell them there was another emergency nearby. As the personnel exited the vehicle, Cole got into the driver’s seat and drove away.
The ambulance was spotted travelling east on Interstate 88 by a Schoharie County Sheriff’s Deputy, according to state police. The deputy attempted to make a traffic stop, but Cole did not comply.
State police patrols responded and joined the pursuit, at which time it is believed the patient from the initial medical emergency was still in the ambulance.
The release stated that the ambulance continued onto I-890 and entered Schenectady.
Cole drove on Eastern Avenue and entered the intersection with Brandywine Avenue where he crashed into a 1988 Nissan 300Z.
The driver of the Nissan, Jesus Espinal Jr., 24, of Utica, was transported to Albany Medical Center after suffering serious injuries.
Schoharie County EMS Director Mike Hartzel said Monday, Sept. 2 that Espinal was in critical condition.
Hartzel said that Cole drove into the passenger side of Espinal’s car and totaled the ambulance, which will cost about $175,000 to replace.
He said he is unsure of the condition of the equipment inside the vehicle, but assumed it was not damaged in the crash.
According to the release, Cole was the only person in the ambulance at the time of the crash and was not seriously injured.
The release stated that shortly after stealing the ambulance, Cole pulled over onto Route 7 in Cobleskill where the patient got out at a Speedway gas station.
It states that she was taken from there to a hospital in a private vehicle where she was treated and released.
At the time of his arrest, Cole had an active arrest warrant out of the Schenectady County Sheriff’s Office for third-degree grand larceny.
The arrest was made in Princetown. Cole is in custody awaiting arraignment.
Jillian McCarthy, staff writer, can be reached at [email protected] or 607-441-7259.
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PRESS RELEASE
On Saturday, August 31, at about 10:17 p.m., Schoharie EMS responded to Main Street in the village of Cobleskill to assist a woman who was suffering from a diabetic emergency
After the patient was loaded into the ambulance, Adam C. Cole, 25, of Schenectady, told the two EMS personnel that there was a second medical emergency nearby. As the two EMS personnel got out of the ambulance, Cole got into the driver’s seat and drove off.
A short time later, a Schoharie County Sheriff’s Deputy spotted the ambulance traveling east on I -88 and attempted to make a traffic stop, but Cole failed to comply. State Police patrols responded and joined the pursuit. At this time, it was believed that the female patient from the original medical call was still inside the ambulance.
As the pursuit left Schoharie County, State Police patrols took the lead. The ambulance continued onto the NYS Thruway, I-890, and then entered the city of Schenectady. Cole was travelling on Eastern Avenue when he entered the intersection with Brandywine Avenue and crashed into a 1988 Nissan 300Z.
The operator of the Nissan, Jesus Espinal Jr., 24, of Utica, suffered serious injuries in the crash and was transported to Albany Medical Center where he is critical condition. Cole was the only person in the ambulance at the time of the crash and was not seriously injured. He remains in custody and multiple charges are pending. Cole also has an active arrest warrant out of the Schenectady County Sheriff’s Office for Grand Larceny 3rd degree.
During the investigation it was learned that shortly after taking the ambulance, Cole pulled over on Route 7 in Cobleskill and the medical patient got out at a Speedway gas station. She was transported in a private vehicle to a hospital where she was treated and released.
The Schenectady and Rotterdam Police Departments, as well as the Schenectady Fire Department assisted with this incident.
