A man police say raced a vehicle the wrong way on Interstate 10 earlier this month, while trying to evade police, has been arrested on suspicion of multiple felonies, officials say.
Raul Ricardo Padilla, 20, faces three counts of aggravated assault, criminal damage, unlawful flight from police, five counts of child endangerment and aggravated DUI, Tucson police said in a news release.
The incident started about 1:15 a.m. Jan. 23, when police tried to stop a gray Dodge Charger. The vehicleβs driver fled but rather than chase the vehicle officers called for help from the police helicopter, the release said.
The driver eventually fled from the car on foot, and that's when police say Padilla jumped behind the wheel and drove off.
At some point police say Padilla got on I-10 driving the wrong way. Police tried to warn oncoming traffic but the Charger collided head-on with an ambulance near Grant Road, the release said.
The ambulance caught fire before the two medics in the ambulance could be freed from the wreckage, the release said. Both medics were injured, one critically.
Padilla also was injured in the wreck.
