Tourist takes joy ride in stolen ambulance in Key West, police say

A tourist in Key West, Fla., who wanted to get attention from police did just that after she stole an ambulance and drove it down the city's well-known Duval Street, authorities said.

Crystal Dawn Clampitt, 22, is facing a grand theft charge after she stole the $80,000 ambulance early Sunday morning, according to a Key West Police report.


According to the report, Clampitt, from High Point, N.C., had arrived in town Saturday and was staying on the island with her friend but couldn't find her.

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When Clampitt spotted the ambulance near Front and Duval Streets, she "decided to take the ambulance in an attempt to gain the attention of law enforcement," the report said.

Around 2:30 a.m. ET, Key West Police officers spotted the vehicle driving south on Duval Street with the emergency lights on but no siren, the report said. Seconds later, police received a call that an ambulance had been stolen, and the officers pursued the vehicle, the report said.

As officers gave chase, a Key West Fire Department Fire Engine got in front of the ambulance and applied the brakes, stopping it right in front of Fat Tuesday Key West, a bar on Duval Street, the report said.

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Clampitt was removed from the ambulance and taken into custody, at which point she explained that she was unhappy with the response time from police regarding her missing friend so she decided to "take matters into her own hands," the report said.

"Clampitt told me she enjoyed driving the stolen ambulance, and thanked me for driving her to the Monroe County Detention Center while she slept," an officer wrote in the report.

Jail records show Clampitt was released later Sunday on $7,500 bond. It was unknown whether she has an attorney.

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Discuss this post

Maybe this Tourist just got done reading a “Sarah Palin” book….became Confused, Irrational and Lost her Mind. It seems to be a “Side Effect”.

You BetCha….Fer Sure.

  • 2 votes
Reply#1 - Wed Sep 5, 2012 4:44 PM EDT

You realize, of course, that you're assuming that someone so foolish as to steal an ambulance to get attention from the police is, in all probability, not someone who reads books. But rather, someone who makes irrational comments on message board....hey, wait a second....

    #1.1 - Wed Sep 5, 2012 4:47 PM EDT

    How does your personal hatred of Sarah Palin get injected into this? This article/news story has nothing to do with politics! Besides this woman could be the grand daughter of Jed Clampitt of Beverly Hills fame.

    • 1 vote
    #1.2 - Wed Sep 5, 2012 7:55 PM EDT

    One too many 'Key West Cocktails' at Camille's and a 'wow-wow weed' chaser, more likely. That combination will most often put you into an ambulance in one way or another!

    ;-)

    • 2 votes
    #1.3 - Wed Sep 5, 2012 8:38 PM EDT
    Reply

    Wellllll dawgies!

    • 2 votes
    Reply#2 - Wed Sep 5, 2012 4:44 PM EDT

    Did she find her friend? Was her friend real...?

    • 1 vote
    #2.1 - Wed Sep 5, 2012 4:46 PM EDT

    22 years old from High Point. NC in Key West, yeah, thats a nice combination. Welcome to the land of drunks and I suspect monkey see monkey do. I want to see her picture and rope belt.

    Ellie May Clampitt??

    • 2 votes
    #2.2 - Wed Sep 5, 2012 10:16 PM EDT
    Reply

    Yo Republicans and TeaBillys:

    That’s what happens when you Mix da Republican Kool Aid with da TeaBilly Juice……Bad Decisions, Brain Lock, Stare Into Space, Start saying Stupid Things, and Everybody looks like a Friendly Lobbyist.

    You Bet Cha……Fer Sure.

    • 2 votes
    Reply#3 - Wed Sep 5, 2012 4:51 PM EDT

    jstdafacts

    Yo Republicans and TeaBillys:

    That’s what happens when you Mix da Republican Kool Aid with da TeaBilly Juice……Bad Decisions, Brain Lock, Stare Into Space, Start saying Stupid Things, and Everybody looks like a Friendly Lobbyist.

    Yo, jstdafacts,

    Your comment is what happens when you mix Democrat Kool Aid with an over-developed sense of your own intelligence and wit.

    • 3 votes
    #3.1 - Wed Sep 5, 2012 5:04 PM EDT

    Thank you for alerting us to what you Democrats do after a couple of drinks.

    • 2 votes
    #3.2 - Wed Sep 5, 2012 7:15 PM EDT

    You're both examples of what happens when you can't separate politics from things that have nothing to do with politics (although I suspect there was some alcohol involved)

    • 2 votes
    #3.3 - Wed Sep 5, 2012 7:28 PM EDT
    Reply

    What a tard, and btw this has nothing to do with politics

    • 7 votes
    Reply#4 - Wed Sep 5, 2012 4:56 PM EDT

    Nothing like a little white trailer trash to get a good laugh for the day! How many 7-11's did her boyfriend rob to pay her bail?

    • 1 vote
    Reply#5 - Wed Sep 5, 2012 5:18 PM EDT

    Here's a girl missing a few brain cells... So need to find a mug shot!!

    Found one, search by her last name.

    Defiantly corn fed.

      Reply#6 - Wed Sep 5, 2012 5:25 PM EDT

      Is her name really "Clampitt"? *giggle*

      • 2 votes
      Reply#7 - Wed Sep 5, 2012 5:32 PM EDT

      Oh, yes indeed ..... Crystal Dawn Clampitt, to be precise.

        #7.1 - Wed Sep 5, 2012 5:47 PM EDT

        Jethrine

          #7.2 - Wed Sep 5, 2012 6:54 PM EDT
          Reply

          If anyone died as a result of that ambulance not being available for help, she should be charged with manslaughter also. Make her pay.

          • 2 votes
          Reply#8 - Wed Sep 5, 2012 6:43 PM EDT

          I spent 12 years driving an ambulance and believe me when I say theres calls we were on that was just as much a waste of time, like tv's dropped on toes or someone puking and don't want it in their car. Besides, ems services usually use a rotating service or as soon as one ambulance is dispatched to a call another is moved to a posting area to cover it.

            #8.1 - Wed Sep 5, 2012 6:54 PM EDT

            @Mark Lavalier

            "If anyone died as a result of that ambulance not being available for help, she should be charged with manslaughter also. Make her pay."

            Good point, Mark, butt that island is so small that just about wherever you are on Key West you are less than 3 blocks from a hospital. If you have an emergency it's quicker to just ask someone for a piggyback ride than calling an ambulance. HA!

            Any 3rd rate lawyer -- you know the type, an ambulance chaser(pun intended) -- could use that to argue that on Key West, size matters. (grin)

            ;-)

            • 1 vote
            #8.2 - Wed Sep 5, 2012 8:57 PM EDT

            Most of you people must have been born' breech birth, because you thinking is totally backwards!

            I have never seen so many, total, idiots in my life!

            But then, when you spend your life, being an idiot; what else can you be!!!!!

            She, just got caught up in, not being able to find her friend, and not being able to think as she should!

            There are ways to do things, even in Key West, other than be stupid!

              #8.3 - Wed Sep 5, 2012 9:22 PM EDT

              @Chris Allen-502031...

              I have never seen so many, total, idiots in my life! But then, when you spend your life, being an idiot; what else can you be!!!!!

              Well said idiot. I'm sorry that you have spent your life being an idiot. At least you have taken the first step by admitting that you grew up as an idiot. It's great that you can identify others of your kind.. you likely need them as a support group.

              • 1 vote
              #8.4 - Thu Sep 6, 2012 12:59 AM EDT
              Reply

              Please tell me she moved to High Point from SC?????

              Rednecks and SA's everywhere

                Reply#9 - Wed Sep 5, 2012 7:14 PM EDT

                She says she was upset because the response time for the police was too long. Yea, right. Must be blond as well.
                You do realize We're going to be seeing the video of this on America's Wildest Police Chases for years to come.

                  Reply#10 - Wed Sep 5, 2012 7:21 PM EDT

                  She totally would've put out that nite

                    Reply#11 - Wed Sep 5, 2012 7:25 PM EDT

                    That's one of the reasons why, i'll never be caught dead in Florda. Ever. To many drunks. TO many drug users. To many mother @!$%#ing idiots.

                      Reply#12 - Wed Sep 5, 2012 7:52 PM EDT

                      I bet if this had been a 5, 7 or 7 yr-old boy running around the gate area b4 take that the pilot would not have batted an eyelash. But b/c it was a nearly, full-grown 16 yo, he "perceived" him as a "safety threat"? Sounds to me like this family should find themselves a good lawyer & sue the pants off of American Airlines.

                      Unfortunately, this is nothing new. Discrimination towards individuals with emotional, mental or delayed development issues is all to common, ppl just don't "get it". It's a shame that this is still happening in the 21st century.

                      Oops, looks like when NBC News toggled my comment when I hit spellcheck, it also took me to a different article & I didn't even notice till I hit "Post". Too tired to move this as I've already typed it twice (it also wiped out everything I typed the 1st time). Comment was for family who were kicked off the plane b/c of their 16 yo son who has Down Syndrome. Sorry.

                        Reply#13 - Wed Sep 5, 2012 8:06 PM EDT

                        Ladies and gentlemen, Crystal Dawn Calmpitt!

                          #13.1 - Wed Sep 5, 2012 8:38 PM EDT
                          Reply

                          Okay, let me get this straight...it's illegal to steal an ambulance in Key West? Good stuff to know.

                            Reply#14 - Wed Sep 5, 2012 10:17 PM EDT

                            Are we sure this wasn't Ellie May Clampett looking for her pet Chimpanzee? Maybe Jethro was in the back with Ms Hathaway doing the nasty....and yes, I dated myself on this one....too good to be true....

                              Reply#15 - Wed Sep 5, 2012 11:10 PM EDT

                              Police in Key West have no sense of humor....really

                                Reply#16 - Thu Sep 6, 2012 12:05 AM EDT

                                "It was unknown whether she has an attorney."

                                I think she'd be better served by having a psychiatrist.

                                  Reply#17 - Thu Sep 6, 2012 8:02 AM EDT
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