Video Shows Driver's Highway Rampage Before Fleeing in Stolen Ambulance

A man driving a stolen truck plowed into multiple vehicles on Interstate 395 in Virginia before the driver then stole an ambulance and led police on a pursuit into Washington D.C., police said.

The driver was later arrested and identified as Darell T. Caldwell, 30, of Brandywine, Maryland, the Virginia State Police (VSP) said in a statement shared with Newsweek on Saturday evening. Caldwell faces federal and local charges, VSP said, adding that state police charges are still pending.

After stealing an Arlington County Fire Department ambulance that was responding to the I-395 crash scene, Caldwell used the emergency vehicle to flee, subsequently leading law enforcement agencies on a wild chase down packed roads, VSP said.

While driving the stolen ambulance, Caldwell slammed into at least 13 vehicles in his effort to evade police, according to the VSP, which is leading the investigation into the highway mayhem. Police said that while at least six people were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment of minor injuries sustained in the crashes, none of the injuries were reported to be serious.

The highway rampage began Saturday afternoon.

At 3:40 p.m., VSP responded to a two-vehicle crash in the eastbound lanes of Interstate 66. The truck that caused the crash, driven by Caldwell, fled the scene, police said, adding that the truck had been reported stolen out of Falls Church, Virginia. The driver of the other vehicle was transported to a nearby hospital for injuries sustained in the crash.

Moments later, around 3:41 p.m., VSP responded to a multi-vehicle crash in the northbound lanes of I-395 near Exit 10 and the 14th Street Bridge in Arlington County. Police said that crash was caused by the same stolen truck being driven by Caldwell. Five people were transported to a nearby hospital as a result of the I-395 crash. Caldwell fled the scene on foot, VSP said.

Video clips shared on X, formerly Twitter, show the alleged suspect driving a truck and plowing into vehicles on the highway.

The enhanced video, posted by Dave Statter, shows slow-moving traffic as a truck slams into a handful of vehicles before eventually hitting a concrete barrier and stopping.

"MUST SEE: This is the start of I-395N rampage. Truck got on at 110N. Hit vehicles before Boundary Channel. Plowed into at least 5 before the bridge. Driver ran off. Will show you the stolen ambulance chase shortly. said Statter, a former WUSA9 reporter.

In another enhanced video shared on X by Statter, the truck can be seen barreling down the highway, striking several vehicles and crashing just before the bridge. The clip also shows footage of the driver allegedly fleeing in the ambulance, which was responding to the I-395 crash scene.

"MUST SEE: This is an enhanced video of the crash just before the bridge plus some of the stolen ambulance chase into DC," Statter, an EMS and fire news blogger, said in the post.

Shortly after the I-395 crash, state police were notified of a crash on the George Washington Parkway involving a different truck being driven by Caldwell, who was driving the wrong way when he struck another vehicle, police said. An Arlington County Fire Department ambulance responding to the I-395 scene came upon the crash on the George Washington Parkway. The ambulance stopped so the medics could render aid to the drivers. While they were tending to one driver, Caldwell ran up to the ambulance and sped off in it.

The medics flagged down a VSP trooper who was responding to the crash scenes to report the stolen ambulance.

When the ambulance did not stop for a state trooper, a pursuit was initiated, police said, adding that at one point Caldwell did stop the ambulance.

"As the trooper was getting out of his patrol car, Caldwell put the ambulance in reverse and rammed the state police vehicle and fled the scene," VSP said in the statement.

Another video posted on X by Statter shows the ambulance careening through thick traffic as police follow.

"MUST SEE: Stolen @ArlingtonVaFD ambulance being chased into the I-395N express lanes at 4:25 pm.," Statter said in the post. "It plowed into multiple cars. That was 45 minutes after the truck smashed up cars in the main lanes."

The pursuit continued with the Arlington County Police Department assisting state police. During the chase, the stolen ambulance accessed the I-395 express lanes and drove into Washington, D.C., where it struck a parked vehicle, ending the chase.

State troopers and Arlington police took Caldwell into custody without further incident, and he was transported to a nearby hospital for medical evaluation.

"During the course of the pursuit, the stolen ambulance struck multiple vehicles and again rammed the trooper's patrol car," VSP said. "At this time, state police have accounted for and are investigating 13 hit-and-run crashes committed by the stolen ambulance."

State police urge anyone who was struck by the ambulance during the pursuit to call 703-803-0026.