Onondaga County, New York- The Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office reports that a Syracuse man is in custody after fleeing in a stolen fire/rescue vehicle.
On Friday July 22nd, at approximately 1:00 A.M., while Syracuse Fire Department personnel were on the scene of an ambulance call in the 100 block of North Edwards Avenue, an unknown male jumped into the driver seat of a 2016 Ford 250 Syracuse Fire/Rescue vehicle and sped off. With the assistance from the 911 Center, the vehicle’s direction was tracked and relayed to area law enforcement.
The vehicle entered the NYS Thruway where it was observed by Sheriff’s Deputies traveling westbound near exit 36 (Interstate 81). The vehicle exited the Thruway at exit 36 but then re-entered the Thruway traveling east in the westbound lanes. Eventually the vehicle crossed over the median and back into the eastbound lanes before deputies were able to successfully deploy stop sticks, striking and deflating all four tires. With the assistance from Air1, the flight crew utilized the helicopters Nightsun light source to illuminate the vehicle, which continued eastbound into the Town of Sullivan where it struck the median and rolled over several times.
The suspect, later identified as 23-year-old Nathan Kane of Syracuse, sustained minor injuries in the crash and was transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital. Kane was charged with grand larceny in the 4th degree, criminal possession of stolen property in the 4th degree, unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and was issued traffic tickets for reckless operation, aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the 3rd degree, unlicensed operator, unsafe lane change, speed not reasonable and prudent and traveling the wrong way on a roadway. Kane remains in the hospital and additional charges are pending.
