On Wednesday, June 19, 2024, police responded to the Solomons Volunteer Rescue Squad Fire Department (SVRSFD) on HG Trueman Road, for the report of an unauthorized use of motor vehicle.
Upon arrival, police made contact with several staff members of the SVRSFD who advised that Ambulance 37 responded to a call of service located at the residences above the Inner Equinox, in the 14000 block of Solomons Island Road in Solomons.
The crew members stated the ambulance was parked in the parking lot which is shared between the Inner Equinox, Island Hideaway, and Lori’s Lunch Basket.
The two shared parking lots measured over 800 feet in open space with over 70 parking spaces shared on both sides of Inner Equinox.
A woman, who later identified as Lauren Ann Simpson, 40 of Lusby, approached and asked EMS to move their ambulance, to which EMS explained they were in the middle of a call for service.
The EMS crews advised they came out of the residence and noticed the ambulance had been moved. They alerted their supervisors who later reviewed the video footage from the ambulance which has multiple cameras that record both the interior and exterior of the vehicle.
The video footage showed that when EMS went into the residence, Simpson opened the driver door and entered the ambulance and attempted to move it, however, she could not disable the parking brake on her own.
A nearby unidentified man opened the passenger door of the ambulance and gave Simpson instructions on how to remove the parking brake. Simpson was then able to release the parking brake and drove the ambulance to another part of the parking lot. Officers took photos of Simpson from the video and a copy of the ambulance’s camera footage for evidence. It was noted that Ambulance 37 is fully equipped and is worth over $600,000
Deputies went to the Lori’s Lunch Basket establishment and met with a male subject, who when asked about the incident involving the ambulance, denied he, nor the business had any involvement.
Deputies then asked if he knew the identity of the woman who entered the ambulance and moved it. The man was reluctant to tell them at first but ultimately decided to identify her as Lauren Simpson. He stated the reason he did not want to identify her is because they have been close friends for many years.
Police confirmed her identity as Lauren Ann Simpson, age 40 of Lusby, and issued her multiple charges, which court commissioners then added onto due to the nature and recklessness of her actions.
Lauren Ann Simpson, age 40 of Lusby, was charged via criminal summons and traffic citations with the following:
- Three counts – OBSTRUCT FIREFIGHTERS ETC.
- UNAUTH REMOVAL OF MOTOR VEHICLE
- ROGUE AND VAGABOND
- Felony count – MOTOR VEH/UNLAWFUL TAKING
- Traffic citations including DRIVING VEH. W/O OWNER’S CONSENT WITH INTENT TO DEPRIVE OWNER
- WILLFULLY (DAMAGE, TAMPER WITH) MOTOR VEHICLE WITHOUT OWNER’S CONSENT
- CLIMBING (INTO, ON) ANY VEH. WITH MALICIOUS INTENT
- (MANIPULATE, ATTEMPT TO MANIPULATE) ANY VEH. (LVRS, MECHNMS, BRAKES, DEVICE) WITH MALICIOUS INTENT
