Fort Worth stolen ambulance involved in DPS chase, shooting in Austin

AUSTIN, Texas - A person who stole a Fort Worth ambulance and evaded Texas Department of Public Safety troopers on a chase in Austin has died.

The upper deck on I-35 will remain closed for some time as the investigation into the incident continues.

What is happening on I-35 in Austin?

The backstory:

Texas DPS says that at around 6:30 a.m., troopers were notified about a stolen Fort Worth Fire/EMS ambulance traveling southbound on I-35 in Williamson County.

A DPS trooper located the ambulance and tried to conduct a traffic stop. Emergency lights were activated but officials say the driver refused to stop and began actively evading law enforcement.

Officials say the driver continued southbound on I-35 and around Highway 290 area in Austin, the driver began intentionally ramming multiple vehicles.

Troopers attempted a pit maneuver, but the ambulance continued to evade and ram vehicles as it got onto the I-35 upper deck.

Officials say that's when a trooper fired their gun at the driver.

The driver died at the scene.

Dig deeper:

The Fort Worth Fire Department confirmed in a statement that one of its ambulances was stolen from Station 4 located at 2954 Old Mansfield Road in Fort Worth.

Officials said they can only confirm the ambulance was stolen and will release more information as they piece together details of the incident with the multiple agencies involved.

What you can do:

Officials say the upper deck of I-35 where the incident happened will be closed for some time as the investigation continues.

People are asked to avoid the area and find alternate routes.

AustinCrime and Public Safety