ST. LOUIS – After an accused suspect stole an ambulance, court records show he is repeatedly violating the rules of his ankle monitor.
Bommarito Automotive SkyFOX captured the pursuit in October 2022 and reported flying speeds up to 100 mph to keep up.
Throughout the hour-long chase, the ambulance crashed into another vehicle, pushing it out of the way and backing into a St. Louis Police Department car. The driver continued despite hitting spike strips and losing tires. Police said they had to tase suspect Dwane Vardiman into compliance before taking him to jail.
Vardiman was released in early December and put on an ankle monitor.
Since then, court records have shown eight bond violation reports, which is around one violation a week following his release. Each entry notes ‘inclusion zone,’ meaning a possible violation of house arrest.
A court hearing Wednesday addressed the violations.
Vardiman’s defense attorney said there is an explanation for every violation, such as trips to the grocery store. The violation reports come with specific GPS tracking, and the judge said it did appear the violations could be reasonably explained.
A trial is now scheduled for June 24 for the ambulance pursuit and stealing in a separate incident, which involved a stolen 60-inch TV, cash, and a checkbook. There are six felony counts in total.
In addition, Vardiman is also facing felony charges in St. Charles County after allegedly threatening his former girlfriend with a machete in September 2022. The victim said she moved out of the state over concerns for her safety, with the defendant currently free from jail.
FOX 2 will continue to follow ankle monitor reports and court cases.
