Ambulance Stolen from BMH

On June 18 2013 at 5:10 p.m. Beaufort Police officers responded to a report of an ambulance
being stolen from the emergency room entrance to Beaufort Memorial Hospital. The 34 year
old man, identified as Clifton McNeill of St.Helena, had been transported to the hospital by
EMS for a medical reason. At some point he removed his I.V., left a treatment room and forced
open the exit door of the emergency room. Once in the parking lot the suspect approached an
ambulance. A member of the ambulance crew was in the back of the vehicle working when the
subject approached wearing only sweatpants and asked for a ride home. The crewmember got
out to talk with him and the suspect entered the vehicle and drove off. Officers from Beaufort
Police Department, Beaufort County Sheriffs’ Office and additional EMS personnel located the
ambulance heading into the wrong direction of traffic near the intersection of Hermitage Road
and Ribaut Road and blocked its path. Officers and EMS personnel got the struggling suspect
out of the vehicle and used a “drive Stun” from a taser (a technique where the taser is not shot
but placed in contact with the suspect and activated) to bring him under control. The suspect
was then transported back to the emergency room where he again attempted to resist officers
but was kept under control. No injuries or damage resulted from this incident. The suspect is
currently under medical care. Charges are pending upon the outcome of medical evaluations.