Mesa PD: Man steals ambulance, said it was too hot to walk home

Police arrested a man Tuesday after police said he jumped in a running ambulance and took off from a local hospital.

Todd Tanner Shell, 37, and former ASU basketball player, was treated and released at a hospital for a heat-related situation, police said.

Shell told police that he thought it was too hot to walk home from the hospital. He walked back to the hospital and found a running ambulance in the bay before taking off.

The ambulance was left unattended because paramedic crews were dropping off another patient, police said.

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Mesa Police and DPS troopers found Shell by using the ambulance’s GPS location.

Shell told police he wanted to buy a sandwich but needed to stop home to grab cash. He said he intended to return the ambulance after, according to police.

The ambulance was not damaged and returned to service.

Shell was booked on unlawful flight from law enforcement and unlawful use of means of transportation felony charges.

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