An ambulance driver taking a woman with chest pain to Cleveland Clinic allegedly got lost, then told her he was ‘done driving’ and left in an Uber

A private ambulance driver in Cleveland, Ohio, has been accused of abandoning a patient experiencing chest pain. The driver allegedly got lost on the way to the hospital, told the patient he was “done driving for the day,” and then left in an Uber.

As reported by Arizona’s Family, the incident happened on Oct. 28. The woman was being transported to Cleveland Clinic because she was suffering from chest pain.

As the story spread online, the Cleveland Association of Rescue Employees (CARE) Local 1975 stepped in to clarify that the driver was not one of its members. The union wrote that “it was NOT a Cleveland EMS ambulance,” but rather a provider working on a private ambulance. It added that it stands by its EMTs, paramedics, and dispatchers who strive to provide the best care to anyone in need.

Another ambulance crew had to step in

The driver worked for Lynx EMS, a private ambulance company. He reportedly got lost while en route to the hospital, then allegedly told the patient he was finished for the day and left in an Uber.

According to News 5 Cleveland, the incident happened around 8:00 PM near a gas station on W. 150th Street. Another crew member was on board and was believed to have called 911. Cleveland EMS told the outlet the 50-year-old woman remained stable throughout her transport to the hospital.

After the driver left, a Cleveland EMS unit was sent to the scene, and paramedics treated the woman and took her to the hospital. Ambulances have ended up in viral moments for other reasons, too, like the West Hollywood man posing inside an ambulance as an EMT was about to bring in a patient.

Lynx EMS said it has taken immediate steps to address the situation and is reviewing the incident internally. The company declined to comment further, explaining that the matter involves both personnel and patient privacy.

The Cleveland EMS union also addressed misinformation spreading with the story. It urged people to “research the facts before blindly sharing AI-generated images and articles,” pointing to an image that had been circulating alongside the news.