Man accused of breaking out of hospital, stealing ambulance

BATON ROUGE – Officials say a man broke out of a psychiatric care hospital and stole an ambulance before leading police on a chase across Baton Rouge Saturday morning.

Baton Rouge Police say the incident happened around 10:30 a.m. Saturday. According to arrest records, 40-year-old Christopher Porter escaped the Baton Rouge Behavioral Hospital and stole an Acadian Ambulance that was parked across the street at Affinity Nursing. When paramedics returned to their vehicle, the ambulance was gone.

Police say Porter caused minor damage to a hospital window and cut himself when climbing through to escape.

Acadian Ambulance officals were able to use the ambulance's GPS system to track the vehicle as it traveled through Baton Rouge.

Police then chased Porter, who police say refused to stop, through the city until finally being taken into custody in the 5000 block of Scenic Highway.

Christopher Porter, 40 was charged with criminal damage to property, theft of a motor vehicle and flight from an officer. He was transported and booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison.