Woman escaping police custody steals and crashes ambulance

Woman escaping police custody steals and crashes ambulance

Melina Silsbe mugshot from SCPD

An arrested woman escaped officers, stole an ambulette and crashed it on the Sunken Meadow State Parkway on Thursday evening, according to the Suffolk County Police Department.

Police said 24-year-old Melina Silsbe was arrested the day before on numerous misdemeanor warrants and one felony warrant, but was taken from the precinct to St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center in Smithtown for treatment of a medical condition.

An officer was assigned to guard her, but Silsbe allegedly slipped out of her restraints and fled the hospital, allegedly stealing an unoccupied ambulette that had been left running in front of St. Catherine’s main entrance. The suspect’s escape kicked off a police pursuit through Commack, along Jericho Turnpike and then onto the highway.

Police said during the pursuit Silsbe, driving the ambulette, crashed into another vehicle on the Sunken Meadow and then was taken back into police custody.

She faces added charges of second-degree escape, fourth-degree grand larceny, fourth-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving, second-degree reckless endangerment and unlawfully fleeing a police officer.

Attorney information for Silsbe was not immediately available Friday.

The suspect was treated for minor injuries at Southside Hospital in Bay Shore following the crash and was released.

Police said the other vehicle’s driver was not hurt.