Ambulance thiefindicted onfour counts

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SIDNEY — A Shelby County grand jury, Thursday, indicted the man accused of stealing a Sidney Fire Department ambulance from Wilson Health, Jan. 28, causing an injury accident and fleeing the scene.

Christian Jayce Martin, 24, of Sidney, was charged with grand theft auto, a fourth-degree felony; failing to stop after an accident, a fifth-degree felony; vandalism, a fifth-degree felony; and operating a vehicle under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol, a first-degree misdemeanor.

Martin will be arraigned in Shelby County Common Pleas Court at 10 a.m., Thursday, Feb. 23.

According to the Sidney Police report, on Jan. 28, officers and medics were dispatched to Martin’s apartment on the report of a combative and confused male who was possibly under the influence of drugs. When the police arrived, Martin was being held by a friend, who said Martin had smoked synthetic marijuana a couple of days previously and “had not been acting right since,” the report said.

The report stated Martin appeared to be “very out of it” and asked the officer if he wanted to “roll one and smoke one” with him. When medics arrived, Martin was transported to Wilson Health for evaluation.

While at Wilson Health, Martin allegedly stole the ambulance, headed westbound on Michigan Street, driving recklessly. He turned north on Vandemark Road and struck a vehicle driven by Larry Adams, 75, of Sidney, head on.

The collision pushed Adam’s auto backwards into the vehicle behind him, driven by James Darden, 53, of Sidney. Martin allegedly fled the scene on foot.

He entered a nearby SUV, attempting to get the driver to take him from the scene. At that point, he was subdued and held by several citizens until police arrived.

He is currently free on bond.

The writer is a regular contributor to the Sidney Daily News.

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