By Kate Jordan
The Times Record
FORT SMITH, Ark. ― A Fort Smith man is accused of breaking into an ambulance at Mercy Hospital while he was allegedly high on methamphetamine.
Rance J. Sartin, 37, of Fort Smith was arrested on suspicion of felony breaking and entering from a vehicle and misdemeanor public intoxication, a deputy at the Sebastian County Detention Center said.
The arrests stems from an incident that occurred shortly before 9:15 p.m. Sunday, at Mercy Fort Smith, 7301 Rogers Ave., according to the Fort Smith Police Department.
A Fort Smith officer was dispatched to Mercy after someone broke into an ambulance owned by Southwest EMS, at 2401 Alma Highway in Van Buren.
A paramedic at Southwest EMS told the officer that a 2013 ambulance that belongs to the business was parked underneath the awning of the emergency entrance at the hospital while paramedics were assisting a patient they had just dropped off, according to an arrest report.
The suspect stole out of the ambulance a backpack containing $100 shears, a $150 stethoscope and miscellaneous paperwork that belonged to Southwest EMS, the report states.
While the officer took the paramedic’s report, Sartin approached them. The paramedic told the officer that he was the man suspected of breaking into the ambulance, according to the arrest report. He was allegedly carrying the backpack that was stolen as he approached them.
The officer stated in the arrest report that Sartin apologized to them for getting into the ambulance and stealing Southwest EMS belongings, and told them he was confused and was “looking for some information.”
He handed the backpack with the property inside to the paramedic and all the belongings were accounted for, according to the arrest report.
When the officer asked Sartin why he was confused, he told him he wasn’t sure, but had taken methamphetamine about an hour prior to the incident, according to the arrest report. The officer stated in the police report that Sartin was acting strange and erratic.
Sartin was released Monday from the Sebastian County Detention Center on a $1,700 bond, a deputy said.
Copyright 2016 Times Record