Man steals ambulance with firefighter inside

A Lake Mary man remains in the Seminole County jail this weekend after police said he stole an ambulance Tuesday from the Central Florida Regional Hospital – with a firefighter in the back.
Police said the man was walking on crutches when EMTs in another ambulance watched as he got into the driver’s seat of the vehicle. As he drove away the EMTS noticed one of their own was in the back of the vehicle.
Police were immediately notified of the situation and as the man drove the ambulance out of the parking lot he struck a vehicle and stopped, allowing the firefighter to jump out of the back of the ambulance.
EMTs in the other ambulance followed the vehicle to Jewett Lane, where the man pulled to a dead end, jumped out and into a pond.
The three EMTs immediately ran to the man as police arrived. The man told police he had a broken foot and after being cleared by the hospital, police said the man spoke to himself in the back of the patrol car on the way to jail.
James Weldon Sessions, 43, of Lake Mary, was charged with grand theft of a motor vehicle and hit-and-run involving property damage.
He is being held in the Seminole County jail with a $2,500 bond.
During his first appearance Wednesday his attorney said Sessions suffered from mental health issues. The judge ordered Sessions have a mental health evaluation within 10 days and that he not return to the Central Florida Regional Hospital. His arraignment is set for Aug. 2.

- Rachel Delinski, Herald Publisher/Editor, RDelinski@MySanfordHerald.com