UPDATE: Man sentenced for stealing ambulance, leading police on dangerous chase

The man who stole an ambulance and led police on a chase in Kanawha County is heading to prison.

Barry Massey, 53, of Seth, West Virginia, was sentenced Wednesday to two to eight years in prison.

He was convicted of attempted grand larceny and fleeing with reckless indifference to the safety of others.

Massey pleaded guilty to the crimes in July.

In January, he unsuccessfully tried to steal a car and then stole an ambulance. He then led law enforcement on a dangerous chase for over thirteen miles and crossed into oncoming traffic.

Kanawha County Prosecuting Attorney Charles Miller stated that the man who led police on a chase in a stolen ambulance pled guilty to multiple charges.

Barry Massey, who admitted to unsuccessfully trying to steal a car and then stealing an ambulance last January is set to be sentenced August 1st.

He led law enforcement on a dangerous chase for over thirteen miles and crossed into oncoming traffic.

His charges include Flleing with Reckless Indifference to the Safety of Others and Attempted Grand Larceny.

Massey faces anywhere from one to five years imprisonment and up to a $2,000.00 fine for Fleeing with Reckless Indifference and one to 3 years imprisonment, or a six to twelve month imprisonment and a $500.00 fine for Attempted Grand Larceny.

Keep checking WSAZ Mobile and WSAZ.com for the latest information.

Charleston Police have released the name of the man accused of stealing an ambulance and leading police on a chase through Kanawha County.

Charleston Police Chief Steve A. Cooper says Barry Massey stole the ambulance just after 7 a.m. Wednesday from the Operations Center in Charleston.

Police say Massey will be charged with grand larceny and fleeing when he is released from the hospital.

Charleston police stopped the ambulance on Mill Creek. Police say Massey received minor injuries when he resisted arrest and was taken to the hospital. Officers expect him to be released Wednesday afternoon.

No patients or personnel were inside the ambulance at the time it was taken and there were no injuries, according to dispatchers.

Wayne Harmon, with the Kanawha County Emergency Ambulance Authority tells WSAZ one of its crews had just returned from a call when they went inside the operations center to get more supplies. The ambulance was running while the crew was inside the operations center.

Harmon says Massey had just got out of the hospital and was trying to break-in to some cars near the center and then took the ambulance.

Police were able to quickly track down the stolen ambulance because of a GPS system that is in every Kanawha County ambulance, Harmon said.

Harmon says leaving an ambulance running is standard protocol due to patient care because they don't want the next patient to get in the ambulance and be cold.

However, Harmon says after Wednesday's incident, the authority will look at the policy and see if any changes need to be made.

Harmon says this isn't the first time an ambulance has been stolen in recent years. There have been several, including two ambulances that were parked outside of a hospital emergency room in Kanawha County.

Maintenance checked out the stolen ambulance after it was found Wednesday and everything checked out okay. The ambulance is back in service.

Keep checking WSAZ Mobile and WSAZ.com for the latest information.

Police have a man in custody after he stole an ambulance and led police on a chase through Kanawha County, according to dispatchers.

Dispatchers say it was stolen just after 7 a.m. Wednesday from the Operations Center in Charleston.

Charleston police stopped the ambulance on Mill Creek.

No patients or personnel were inside the ambulance at the time and there were no injuries, according to dispatchers.

Wayne Harmon, with the Kanawha County Emergency Ambulance Authority tells WSAZ one of its crews had just returned from a call when they went inside the operations center to get more supplies. The ambulance was running while the crew was inside the operations center.

Harmon says the man who stole the ambulance had just got out of the hospital and was trying to break-in to some cars near the center and then took the ambulance.

Police were able to quickly track down the stolen ambulance because of a GPS system that is in every Kanawha County ambulance, Harmon said.

Harmon says leaving an ambulance running is standard protocol due to patient care because they don't want the next patient to get in the ambulance and be cold.

However, Harmon says after Wednesday's incident, the authority will look at the policy and see if any changes need to be made.

Harmon says this isn't the first time an ambulance has been stolen in recent years. There have been several, including two ambulances that were parked outside of a hospital emergency room in Kanawha County.

Maintenance checked out the stolen ambulance after it was found Wednesday and everything checked out okay. The ambulance is back in service.

Keep checking WSAZ Mobile and WSAZ.com for the latest information.

Police are in pursuit of a stolen ambulance in Kanawha County, according to dispatchers.

It happened just after 7 a.m. Wednesday.

Dispatchers say the ambulance was stolen on Rutledge Road.

No patients or personnel were inside the ambulance at the time, according to dispatchers.

Charleston police are currently in pursuit of the ambulance.

This is a developing story. Keep clicking WSAZ.com and WSAZ Mobile for the latest.