Police probe New Orleans store that 'boots' ambulance

John Bacon, USA TODAY | USATODAY

New Orleans police are investigating an incident at a convenience store after employees "booted" the tire of an ambulance while emergency medical technicians treated a customer suffering chest pains, WWLTV.com reports.

"We actually had to delay that patient's care by calling another ambulance out here to come transport this patient," city EMS spokesman Jeb Tate told the website.

Tate said the EMTs rushed into the store Friday to treat the man, then brought him out for transport to a local hospital, ambulance lights flashing the entire time. When the ambulance tried to speed off, paramedics "heard a loud noise," and the vehicle just stopped, Tate said. That's when the medics found the boot.

When a store employee took the boot off, the tire was flat and another ambulance had to be called, Tate told WWLTV.com.

Signs on the store warn that "If you leave the property for any reason your vehicle will be booted." A call to the telephone number on the sign, for the "Boot Man," went unanswered.

Tate told the website the agency has never had an incident like this before.

"As long as we have our lights on, we park where it is safe to park," he said.