A patient on his way to Temecula Valley Hospital allegedly got out of his restraints and stole an ambulance Sunday, leading police on a pursuit on the 15 Freeway from the Lake Elsinore area up the 15 Freeway before a foot-chase finish in Hesperia, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The ambulance driver originally reported the stolen vehicle on a 911 call around 3:35 p.m, and the driver is believed to have stopped at a gas station to buy cigarettes before police located the vehicle and began the bizarre chase.

Eliana Moreno and Newschopper Bravo were over the police pursuit at approximately 4:15 p.m on the 15 Freeway northbound. A short time later, the vehicle passed the 210 Freeway and Rancho Cucamunga area but stayed on the 15 Freeway northbound through the Cajon Pass.

The vehicle pursuit concluded near the intersection of Mesa Street and Mariposa road on the 15 Freeway in Hesperia when the pursuit suspect abruptly pulled over without putting the vehicle in park.

A shirtless and shoeless man exited the ambulance and proceeded to run into the undeveloped land with an officer chasing on foot. After a lenghty foot pursuit where both the suspect and the chasing officer appeared to be out of breath and began walking at times, an officer from the CHP helicopter exited his helicopter and helped make the arrest before 5 p.m.

Rick Montanez contributed to this story.