A central Wisconsin man is accused of stealing an ambulance while a woman with kidney disease was still inside, then leading officers on a high-speed chase before allegedly threatening police at a hospital and telling one officer, “It’s your turn to die,” according to a criminal complaint.
The case has drawn attention because investigators say the incident began during an emergency medical response, putting paramedics, a vulnerable patient and other drivers at risk. Police say the suspect drove the ambulance nearly 20 miles at highway speeds and refused to stop for patrol cars, then continued making threats after he was taken into custody. The man, identified as Benjamin L. Feltz, faces multiple charges, including first-degree recklessly endangering safety and attempting to flee or elude an officer, as prosecutors review evidence gathered from the pursuit and the scene where the ambulance was recovered.
According to the complaint, the incident started when emergency crews were dispatched for a medical call and two emergency medical workers were in the back of an ambulance with a patient. The patient, a woman who told officers she has kidney disease, was still in the ambulance when the vehicle began moving without the medics driving it, police said. The EMS workers told investigators they heard a door close, looked toward the front of the ambulance and saw a man in the driver’s seat. They shouted at him to stop and get out, the complaint said, but the ambulance pulled away anyway.
Investigators said the patient pleaded with the driver as the ambulance sped off. An officer later reported that the patient said she screamed at the man, using an expletive, that she was dying from kidney disease and feared for her life. Authorities have not publicly released her name. Police did not describe her condition beyond noting her illness and her statements about feeling in danger while the ambulance was moving at high speeds. The complaint did not say whether the patient was strapped to a stretcher or seated, but it said she remained inside during the chase.
Police said an officer spotted the stolen ambulance and tried to stop it, but the driver did not pull over. The pursuit that followed covered about 18 miles and reached speeds in excess of 90 mph, according to authorities. Multiple squads joined the chase as the ambulance traveled through roadways in Wood County, police said. Officers reported the ambulance drove erratically at times and failed to yield to emergency lights and sirens. Authorities did not say whether the driver used the ambulance’s own sirens, but they said patrol vehicles maintained visual contact as they tried to bring it to a safe end.
The chase ended when the ambulance became stuck in a muddy corn field, police said. Investigators have not said whether the driver attempted to turn into the field to escape or whether the vehicle left the roadway unintentionally. Officers approached and took the driver into custody. Police said the patient and EMS workers were later able to get out safely. Authorities did not report serious injuries to the patient or the medics from the pursuit itself, but they described the incident as a dangerous event that placed everyone involved at risk, including drivers on the road as the ambulance traveled at high speed.
Feltz, 37, of Stevens Point, was arrested and booked into the Wood County Jail, authorities said. Court records list a series of charges that go beyond the vehicle theft and pursuit. In addition to first-degree recklessly endangering safety, police said he was charged with operating a motor vehicle without the owner’s consent, attempting to flee or elude an officer and operating while under the influence as a third offense. Prosecutors also charged Feltz with counts that include lewd and lascivious behavior, disorderly conduct and obstruction of emergency or rescue persons, reflecting allegations that his conduct during the incident created hazards and interfered with the medical response.
Investigators said threats made after the chase are a key part of the case. According to the complaint, Feltz later made statements to officers while in custody at a hospital that were treated as direct threats. In one exchange cited in the complaint, he told an officer, “It’s time for you to feel my pain.” When asked whether he was threatening the officer, he replied, “Yes, I’m threatening you,” the complaint said. He then added, “It’s your turn to die,” according to investigators. He also made other aggressive statements in custody, police said, and prosecutors charged him with threatening to cause bodily harm to an individual involved with a court or legal system.
Authorities also described concerns about impairment and possible ingestion of chemicals. The complaint said a preliminary breath test showed a 0.00 result for alcohol. Police said Feltz told investigators he may have marijuana in his system. The complaint also said Feltz told officers he drank roughly half a bottle of chemical cleaner earlier in the day. Investigators said a blood sample was taken for testing and that results were pending. Police have not publicly detailed whether medical staff treated him for chemical exposure or whether he showed signs of injury during the arrest.
Police have not said why Feltz was at the scene where the ambulance was parked or how he was able to get into the driver’s seat while EMS workers were treating the patient in the back. The complaint’s description suggests the takeover happened quickly, during a moment when the front doors were accessible. Investigators also have not said whether any security mechanisms were engaged or whether the ambulance was left running, which can occur during some emergency responses to keep equipment powered and the cabin climate controlled. Officials have not described whether the ambulance belonged to a city, a private service or a county agency, and they have not publicly identified the EMS crew members who were inside.
The charges related to driving also reflect the suspect’s legal status behind the wheel, according to court records. In addition to the operating while under the influence count, prosecutors charged Feltz with operating after revocation due to an alcohol-related offense and violating an ignition interlock requirement. Those counts typically apply when a driver’s privileges are restricted because of prior offenses and a court-ordered device is required. Police have not said whether Feltz was supposed to have an interlock device on a personal vehicle or whether those restrictions were discovered through record checks after he was arrested.
Authorities have not released dash camera video or body camera video in full, but the case has circulated locally because it involved an ambulance chase and a patient who said she believed she might die while trapped inside. Officials said the complaint includes statements from the patient, the EMS workers and responding officers. Investigators also documented the pursuit distance and speed based on squad observations and standard reporting from the chase, authorities said. Prosecutors are expected to rely on those accounts, along with any available video from squad cars or nearby surveillance systems, to show the risk created by the driving and the defendant’s alleged refusal to stop.
Emergency workers and law enforcement officials often train for situations involving stolen vehicles, but cases involving stolen ambulances are less common and carry distinct risks because of the equipment inside and the potential presence of patients. Officers must balance the need to stop the vehicle against the danger of a high-speed pursuit, and the situation can be complicated when medical care is interrupted. In this case, authorities said EMS workers were forced into the role of passengers while a patient remained in the back, and police said the chase ended only when the ambulance became immobilized in mud rather than through a traffic stop.
Feltz was scheduled for an initial court appearance in Wood County Circuit Court, authorities said. At that stage, a judge typically reviews the criminal complaint, considers conditions of release and sets future hearings. Prosecutors will likely seek to keep Feltz in custody or impose strict conditions given the allegations of threats, the pursuit and the claim that a patient was placed in danger. Defense attorneys, if appointed or retained, may challenge parts of the complaint, raise questions about mental health or intoxication, and scrutinize how the pursuit was handled and what evidence supports the most serious charges.
The investigation remains active as authorities await blood test results and continue reviewing reports from EMS workers and officers who participated in the chase. For now, the case centers on a short and chaotic window when police say a man took control of an emergency vehicle, drove away with a sick patient inside, and later made threats after he was arrested. The next public milestone is expected at his early court hearings as prosecutors outline their evidence and a judge addresses custody and scheduling.
Author note: Last updated February 21, 2026.