By Willoughby Mariano
Orlando Sentinel
Copyright 2007 Sentinel Communications Co.
ORLANDO, Fla. — A woman wanted by authorities on an outstanding warrant dodged a stint in jail Wednesday by leaping out of a moving ambulance.
Lisa B. McCoy, 34, was being arrested near 19th Street and South Orange Blossom Trail about 6 p.m. when she told deputies she was having a panic attack, said Carlos Padilla, an Orange County sheriff’s spokesman.
Deputies called for an ambulance which, after picking up McCoy, took Interstate 4 toward Orlando Regional Dr. P. Phillips Hospital. As it slowed to exit at the westbound Sand Lake Road ramp, McCoy slipped out of her handcuffs, jumped out of the ambulance and ran off.
The ambulance was traveling about 15 mph at the time, Padilla said.
McCoy got into a nearby car, then got out and dashed northwest toward Sand Lake and Turkey Lake roads.
Heavy traffic blocked a deputy from giving chase, Padilla said. Sheriff’s dogs tracked her to a nearby shopping plaza, where they lost her scent.
McCoy was wanted on an outstanding warrant for failure to appear in a theft case in Osceola County. Deputies are in the process of filing a warrant for the charge of escape.
McCoy was a fugitive for absconding from 18 months of community supervision on 2006 forgery and grand-theft charges. Her probation was scheduled to end late next year. She spent several years in prison on armed-robbery and kidnapping convictions in 1994.
Although it’s rare for suspects to wriggle out of handcuffs, it does happen, Padilla said.
“In 25 years as an officer, I’ve seen it happen once or twice,” Padilla said.
Suspects on gurneys are often handcuffed with their hands in front of them -- not behind their backs. If a suspect is sick, an officer may leave the cuffs looser than usual. This makes it easier for them to wriggle out, he said.
“We’ll find her,” Padilla said. “She’ll be around.”