Man steals ambulance, leading deputies on miles-long chase, officials say (2024)

TO GO. WE’VE GOT A LOOK AT TODAY’S TOP NEWS STORIES, TRAFFIC AND WEATHER ALL BEFORE YOU HEAD OUT THE DOOR. BUT FIRST WE’RE STARTING WITH OUR TANIQUA PENNIX WHO’S LIVE FROM GSP AHEAD OF THE LABOR DAY WEEKEND. TANIQUA. A DESTINY EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD HERE. NO MAJOR CONCERNS. THERE IS ONE FLIGHT TO ATLANTA THAT’S BEEN DELAYED. IT’S NOW LEAVING AT 745. BUT HERE’S SOME IMPORTANT REMINDERS TO REMEMBER ON THIS BUSY TRAVEL DAY. YOU WANT TO GET TO THE AIRPORT ABOUT TWO HOURS BEFORE YOUR SCHEDULED FLIGHT. MAKE SURE YOUR BAGS ARE PACKED APPROPRIATELY. LIQUIDS SHOULD NOT BE LARGER THAN 3.4OZ, AND THEY SHOULD BE IN A CLEAR CONTAINER. OTHER THAN THAT, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE FUN AND SAFE TRAVELS FOR NOW. REPORTING LIVE AT GSP AIRPORT TANIQUA PENNIX WYFF NEWS FOUR. ALL RIGHT, TANIQUA, THANK YOU. AND FOR THOSE WHO ARE DRIVING TO THEIR DESTINATIONS, THEY’RE EXPECTED TO HAVE PLENTY OF COMPANY. IF YOU’RE LOOKING TO AVOID HEAVY TRAFFIC, ONE OF THE WORST TIMES TO BE ON THE ROAD WILL BE BETWEEN 2 AND 6 P.M. TODAY. NOW, IF YOU’RE TRAVELING THIS WEEKEND, ONE AUTOMOTIVE GROUP STRESSES THE IMPORTANCE OF VEHICLE MAINTENANCE. THE MAIN THING MOST IMPORTANT THING CHECKING THE OIL IN YOUR CAR BEFORE YOU GO. THE TIRE PRESSURES FLUIDS. IN GENERAL, THOUGH, AND WHERE YOU’RE HEADED. YOU KNOW, TRACKING THAT TRAVEL. SEE TRAFFIC AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT TO LIKE DALE GILBERT SAY SO YEAH, JUST MAKING SURE YOU HAVE THE PROPER EQUIPMENT TO TAKE CARE OF ANYTHING THAT WOULD HAPPEN ON THE ROAD WITH TIRES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. GAMBLE ALSO SAYS TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ROADSIDE SERVICE JUST IN CASE YOUR VEHICLE BREAKS DOWN. THE GREENVILLE COUNTY CORONER SAYS A DRIVER WAS KILLED IN A MOTORCYCLE CRASH INVOLVING SEVEN VEHICLES. IT HAPPENED AROUND MIDNIGHT YESTERDAY ON I-85 NORTH. TROOPERS SAY A MOTORCYCLE HIT A DUMP TRUCK FROM BEHIND, CAUSING A PILEUP WITH FIVE OTHER VEHICLES. WE’RE TOLD 50 YEAR OLD TRAVIS JONES DIED AT THE SCENE. ALL THE OTHER DRIVERS INVOLVED WERE NOT INJURED. TONIGHT, SPARTANBURG SCHOOL DISTRICT TWO IS HONORING A STUDENT WHO WAS KILLED IN A UTV CRASH. THE DISTRICT SAYS THEY WILL HONOR 16 YEAR OLD ETHAN HARRELL AT THE BOILING SPRINGS HOME FOOTBALL GAME. WE’RE TOLD HIS BEST FRIEND, WHO’S ON THE FOOTBALL TEAM, WILL CARRY ETHAN’S BASEBALL JERSEY WHEN THE FOOTBALL TEAM RUNS ONTO THE FIELD. THE SCHOOL ALSO PLANS TO SHARE A TRIBUTE FOR ETHAN FROM THE ANNOUNCER’S BOOTH. THERE WILL ALSO BE A T SHIRT SALE TO HELP SUPPORT ETHAN’S FAMILY. MEANWHILE, THE FUNERAL FOR ROB PITTS, A GREENEVILLE NATIVE WHO WAS FAMOUS FOR STARRING IN THE NETFLIX SERIES TEXMEX MOTORS, WILL BE HELD LATER THIS MORNING. PITTS, ALSO KNOWN AS THE RABBIT, DIED OVER THE WEEKEND FROM CANCER. HE WAS 45 YEARS OLD. HIS FUNERAL WILL BE HELD AT ROCK SPRINGS BAPTIST CHURCH IN EASLEY. VISITATION AND A PUBLIC CAR SHOW ARE FROM 9 TO 11 THIS MORNING. IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY THE PUBLIC FUNERAL SERVICE, WHICH IS EXPECTED TO LAST UNTIL. 1:00 THIS SUNDAY. ON. FOR THE RECORD, WE’RE TALKING ALL ABOUT WOMEN IN POLITICS AND THE FEMALE VOTE. EXECUTIVE SPEECH COACH DEB SCOFIELD AND POLITICS AND PUBLIC POLICY CONSULTANT MICHELLE MACRINA. JOIN OUR JANE ROBELOT DISCUSSING WHAT PROMPTS WOMEN TO RUN FOR OFFICE. BECAUSE WE SEE A NEED, WE’RE GOING TO FILL IT. WE’RE NOT THERE TO BUILD A RESUME. LET’S GET IT DONE. LET’S GET ON WITH OUR LIVES. AND I SEE MORE WOMEN JUMPING IN FOR THAT ASPECT, BECAUSE WE SEE SOMETHING’S BROKEN AND WE THINK WE CAN FIX IT. AND WE USUALLY DO IN A TIMELY MANNER ON TIME UNDER BUDGET, AND THEN ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE NEXT BIG PROJECT. WELL, JOIN US SUNDAY MORNING AT 1130 FOR THE FULL CONVERSATION ON WOMEN IN VOTING. CATCH IT RIGHT HERE ON WIFE FOR 648 IS YOUR TIME. IT’S RED, RIPE AND READY. THE ANNUAL NORTH CAROLINA APPLE FESTIVAL STARTS TODAY. OUR ISABEL MARK IS JOINING US LIVE FROM HENDERSONVILLE RIGHT BEFORE IT KICKS OFF. GOOD MORNING ISABEL. DESTINY. GOOD MORNING. THAT IS RIGHT. THE FESTIVAL WILL KICK OFF HERE AT 10 A.M. AND AS YOU CAN KIND OF SEE BEHIND ME, THERE’S ALREADY SOME PEOPLE WALKING AROUND IN TENTS THAT ARE ALREADY SET UP. NOW, IT WILL RUN FROM 10 A.M. UNTIL 10 P.M. THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND, EXCEPT ON MONDAY. THERE WILL BE A LIMITED AMOUNT OF CRAFTERS AND VENDORS HERE UNTIL 5 P.M., AND THE KING APPLE PARADE AT 2:30 P.M. NOW ALL APPLES HERE ARE LOCALLY GROWN IN NORTH CAROLINA, AND TODAY FESTIVAL GOERS CAN ENJOY THIS DOWNTOWN STREET FESTIVAL. LIVE ENTERTAINMENT, A KIDDY CARNIVAL AND SO MUCH MORE FOR PARKING, THE WEBSITE SAYS THERE’S FREE AND PAID PARKING AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT THE DOWNTOWN AREA. IT’S FEELING A LITTLE MUGGY OUT TODAY, BUT NOT TOO BAD. HOW’S THE REST OF THE WEEKEND GOING TO LOOK? PARELLA IT’S LOOKING PRETTY GOOD. ISABEL, BY THE WAY, GREAT JOB OUT THERE. LOOKS LIKE A LOT OF FUN ALREADY. IF YOU ARE HEADING OUT THERE LATER THIS MORNING, IT’S GOING TO BE DRY THIS MORNING. IT IS GOING TO BE WARM AND MUGGY, BUT HEADING INTO THIS AFTERNOON, WE’LL START LOOKING OUT FOR SOME OF THOSE POP UP ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS AFTER 2:00 OR SO OUTSIDE. RIGHT NOW, 68 DEGREES IN PICKENS, 72, IN LAWRENCE. HEY, HENDERSONVILLE, A NICE 68 DEGREES IN YOUR AREA. WE ARE DRY ALL ACROSS THE AREA. IF YOU ARE DRIVING THIS MORNING, MAYBE YOU’RE TRAVELING, MAYBE YOU’RE FLYING. IT’S GOING TO BE A DRY MORNING, REGION WIDE AND THEN LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT WE’LL START TO SEE SOME OF THOSE POP UP SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. LOW TO MID 90S AGAIN TODAY WITH THE FEELS LIKE OF ABOUT 100 IN THE MOUNTAINS. SOME OF THOSE START RIGHT AFTER LUNCH TIME OFF AND ON THROUGHOUT THE AFTERNOON. WE’LL TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR FOUR-DAY PLUS THAT INCLUDES YOUR ENTIRE HOLIDAY WEEKEND FORECAST AND LABOR DAY ITSELF. I’VE GOT ONE, MAYBE TWO COOLDOWNS ON THE WAY NEXT WEEK. WE’LL TAKE A LOOK AT THAT TOGETHER. COMING UP IN JUST A LITTLE WHILE. RIGHT NOW, LET’S GET YOU OUTSIDE. GET A CHECK ON THOSE ROADS. HOW’S TRAFFIC LOOKING? DESTINY CHANCE PARELLA, NO SLOWDOWNS RIGHT NOW ON PELHAM ROAD. THIS IS A LIVE LOOK AT I-85 NORTH AT PELHAM ROAD IN GREENVILLE COUNTY. PLENTY OF DRIVERS OUT THERE. MAKE SURE YOU’RE LEAVING ENOUGH SPACE FOR YOU AND THE DRIVER IN FRONT OF YOU, AS IT IS GOING TO BE A SUPER BUSY WEEKEND TRAVEL WISE, BUT YOUR TRAVEL TIMES LOOK GREAT RIGHT NOW. LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR SCREEN I-240 TO ASHEVILLE HIGHWAY SHOULD TAKE YOU 12 MINUTES. AIRPORT ON WOODRUFF ROAD SHOULD TAKE YOU SIX FAIRVIEW ROAD TO DOWNTOWN. YOU’RE LOOKING AT A 13 MINUTE COMMUTE. BY THE WAY. IF YOU’RE STAYING IN THE UPSTATE THIS WEEKEND, CELEBRATE ANDERSON IS MARKING ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR. IT’S A FREE OUTDOOR CONCERT TAKING PLACE THIS WEEKEND AT THE ANDERSON SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT CENTER. THE HEADLINERS ARE COUNTRY SINGERS RANDY HOUSER AND ASHLEY MCBRYDE. HOUSER IS UP ON THE 31ST. MCBRYDE PLAYS ON SEPTEMBER 1ST TO RESERVE A FREE TICKET OR TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE EVENT, YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ON W WYFF 4.COM. MEANWHILE, TODAY IS NATIONAL BEACH DAY, JUST IN TIME FOR LABOR DAY WEEKEND. THE DAY IS DEDICATED TO CELEBRATE THE BEAUTY AND RECREATIONAL VALUE OF BEACHES. WHILE PROMOTING ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS AND CONSERVATION. DON’T FORGET THAT SPF FLAVOR FLAV WANTS TO BE A TORCHBEARER AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES. HE SAYS. HE HAD SO MUCH FUN AT THE PARIS SUMMER OLYMPICS THIS YEAR THAT HE’S APPLIED TO BE A U.S. TORCHBEARER AT THE 2028 OLYMPICS IN LOS ANGELES. FLAVOR FLAV ALSO COMMENTED THAT SNOOP DOGG DID A FANTASTIC JOB AS AN OLYMPIC TORCHBEARER IN PARIS. HE SAID THAT IF SNOOP CAN DO IT, HE CAN DO IT TOO. THE 65 YEAR OLD HIP HOP LEGEND, KNOWN FOR WEARING OVERSIZE CLOCKS AROUND HIS NECK, HELPED TO SPONSOR THE U.S. WOMEN’S WATER POLO TEAM IN PARIS. FLAVOR OF LOVE ARCHIVE THERE. WHAT A FUN TIME. ALL RIGHT, WELL, TAKING A LIVE LOOK NOW FROM PARIS. THE PARALYMPIC GAMES ARE UNDERWAY NOW THROUGH SEPTEMBER 8TH. YOU CAN CATCH HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE OPENING CEREMONY TONIGHT IN PRIME TIME RIGHT HERE ON WIFE FOUR. THAT’S FROM 9 TO 11 P.M. FULL COVERAGE