PAINESVILLE, Ohio — Jamarion Hill, the Warren teen who was indicted after being accused of trying to steal a Willoughby Hills ambulance last month, has changed his plea to guilty.
Court documents show Hill pleaded guilty to attempted grand theft and disrupting public services. He will be sentenced in Lake County Common Pleas Court on Sept. 4. Hill faces a possible maximum sentence of 30 months in prison and a $4,500 fine, plus two years of probation.
A grand jury in Lake County indicted Hill on charges of grand theft of a motor vehicle and disrupting public services. During a court appearance on Wednesday, Hill pleaded not guilty to both felonies and was issued a $20,000 bond.
Authorities say Hill jumped into the ambulance while it was parked at University Hospitals Lake West Medical Center back on June 16 and began to drive away. As this occurred, firefighter/paramedic Brian Paladino jumped through the driver's side window and "quickly subdued the male driver of the stolen ambulance. As he was subduing the male, he quickly took actions to maneuver the ambulance from being able to be driven any further by muscling the steering wheel out of the male's hands."
The ambulance then jumped a curb and crashed into a helicopter landing pad, sustaining "moderate damage." Hill was arrested at the scene while Paladino was treated for minor injuries.
"Anytime, someone makes the extremely poor decision to steal a public safety vehicle is putting themselves and everyone around them at risk," Willoughby Hills Fire Chief Robert Gandee said at the time. "Thankfully, the quick heroic actions of Firefighter/Paramedic Brian Paladino averted a potentially more disastrous scenario."