“Hold My Beer” – Florida Man Steals Ambulance, Leads Cops on Wild Chase
- Ciara Perez
- Mar 16
- 2 min read
“Hold My Beer” – Florida Man Steals Ambulance, Leads Cops on Wild Chase
By Ciara Perez, News Reporter | iSkyNews.com (ISC News)
Published March 16th, 2025
“Hold My Beer” – Florida Man Steals Ambulance, Leads Cops on Wild Chase
Tampa, FL – If there were ever a case of bad decisions stacking up like a Jenga tower, this might be it.
A Tampa man is behind bars after stealing an ambulance, leading Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) troopers on a reckless pursuit, and then casually finishing his beer before getting arrested.
The chaos began around 8:28 PM on March 15, 2025, when authorities received an alert about a Tampa Fire Rescue ambulance stolen from HCA South Tampa Hospital. Within ten minutes, troopers spotted the stolen vehicle near South Esperanza Avenue and West Bay to Bay Boulevard.
But instead of pulling over, the driver—43-year-old Michael J. Esquilin of Tampa—took off, disregarding stop signs, driving on the wrong side of the road, and nearly crashing into multiple cars. The chase lasted for several miles before Esquilin finally stopped at the intersection of South Hubert Avenue and West Empedrado Street.
And what did he do before surrendering? He casually finished his beer in full view of officers.
When troopers and Tampa Police approached, Esquilin refused to let go of the ambulance’s steering wheel, requiring officers to pry him loose before taking him into custody. Once secured, Esquilin explained that he had been drinking for two days and decided to steal the ambulance after emergency personnel refused to give him a ride home.
He now faces several charges, including:
Burglary of an Emergency Vehicle
Grand Theft of an Emergency Vehicle
Fleeing & Eluding
Driving While License Suspended
DUI
Resisting Arrest
No injuries were reported, but the ambulance will likely need some deep disinfecting after this ride.
Authorities remind the public that stealing an ambulance is not a valid rideshare option.
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