OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. – A man is accused of stealing an ambulance from a crash scene in Oakland County while a paramedic and a patient were inside, and police released video footage of the chase, crash and spin-out.
The new dash camera video shows the situation unfold, from the moment the man stole the ambulance, to the police chase, to when he crashed into another car and spun out in the middle of an intersection, causing the ambulance to catch fire. You can watch the footage in the video at the top of this article.
Changlin Li, 33, has been charged with the following in connection with the stolen ambulance crash:
- Second-degree fleeing and eluding a police officer
- Two counts of assaulting/resisting/obstructing a police officer
- Two counts of disarming a peace officer
- Carrying a concealed weapon
- Carjacking
He was arraigned, and his bond was set at $5 million.
Here’s what we know about the stolen ambulance chase and crash, which happened on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025:
Ambulance responds to Novi crash
At 3:25 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025, a Medstar paramedic crew was treating multiple patients at a crash scene in the 24000 block of Novi Road in Novi, according to the ambulance company.
Man involved in crash steals ambulance
That’s when Li, one of the people involved in that initial accident, allegedly jumped into the ambulance and drove away with a paramedic and a patient in the back.
Suspect crashes ambulance into another car in Northville Township
Li is accused of driving the ambulance for several miles before crashing it into another car at 8 Mile and Beck roads in Northville Township. The ambulance caught fire in the crash.
The driver in the other vehicle, Li, and the paramedic and patient in the ambulance were taken to a local hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Previous coverage: Paramedic, patient safe after stolen ambulance catches fire following crash in Oakland County chase
According to Medstar, the “ambulance is a total loss.”
“We are grateful for the safety of our crew, the response of our partner agencies, and the bystanders who helped,” said Kolby Miller, Medstar CEO. “We are working with Novi and Northville Police Departments in the investigation.”