Bond denied for man accused of stealing ambulance from Spartanburg hospital

UNION COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) — Bond has been denied for the man accused of stealing an ambulance from a Spartanburg hospital.

34-year-old Terrance Darby appeared before a Union County judge Friday. He has been charged with attempted murder, reckless driving, failing to stop for a blue light, disregarding a traffic control device and endangering a highway worker.

Investigators said Darby was a patient at Spartanburg Medical Center’s Mary Black campus Thursday. Around 12:20 p.m., they said he stole an ambulance from the hospital and drove off, leading law enforcment on a chase from Spartanburg County into Union County.

During Friday’s bond hearing, Darby told the judge he was trying to get away after speaking with hospital staff about medication.

“I was just running away, sir,” he said. “I wasn’t trying to kill anybody.”

Union County Sheriff Jeff Bailey told 7NEWS Darby drove between 90 and 95 miles per hour during the chase.

Darby crashed the ambulance into an unmarked Spartanburg Police officer’s car. Warrants stated he then intentionally tried to hit a Union County deputy.

“You tried to run over a policeman with a stolen vehicle from Spartanburg,” Magistrate Court Judge Harold Whitney Smith said during the bond hearing.

The chase came to an end after Union Police officers placed stop sticks on Highway 176, which damaged one of the ambulance’s tires. Darby was arrested in the parking lot of the Old Sims Middle School.

Darby is scheduled to appear back in Union County court in December. He is expected to face additional charges in Spartanburg County.