Man drinks beer while driving stolen ambulance in Marietta: police

MARIETTA, Ga. - A 38-year-old man faces multiple charges after he allegedly stole an ambulance from a local gas station and drove it to a hospital while drinking a beer, according to Marietta police.

Marietta ambulance theft

What we know:

A man stole an ambulance from the parking lot of a RaceTrac gas station on Church Street, according to the Marietta Police Department. Cameras inside the emergency vehicle showed the driver drinking a Bud Light and failing to wear a seat belt while driving down the road.

An officer working a separate detail heard the radio description of the suspect and realized he had just spoken to the suspect. The officer said 38-year-old Eric Jordan had tried to get into the hospital through secured doors.

Jordan faces a long list of charges, including theft, DUI, open container and driving on a suspended license. According to the incident report, Jordan told officers he took the vehicle because he "wanted to save the world."

Emergency response concerns

What we don't know:

It is also unclear how Jordan managed to gain entry and start the emergency vehicle.

Danger to the community

Why you should care:

Police expressed deep gratitude that the theft did not delay any emergency medical responses in the area. "This could have been drastically worse," said Marietta Police Officer Chuck McPhilamy.

McPhilamy noted the severe danger of an intoxicated driver operating a vital medical asset. Authorities said it is fortunate Jordan did not crash the large vehicle and that nobody suffered injuries during the incident.