Driver charged for using emergency lights on decommissioned ambulance in Ottawa

A decommissioned ambulance after the driver was charged for flashing its emergency lights. (Ottawa police/X)

A driver was charged after he was caught driving a decommissioned and unregistered ambulance with its emergency lights flashing on Tuesday morning.

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The Ottawa police traffic escort and enforcement unit said in an email that officers conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle at approximately 10:30 a.m. on Hazeldean Road near Huntmar Drive in Ottawa's west end.

Police say in a social media post that they caught the "Ghostbuster" after the ambulance was purchased at an auction.

"Unauthorized use of emergency lights, coupled with driving from the GTA in an un-plated/un-registered vehicle wasn’t the best series of decisions," the social media post said.

Ottawa Police Const. Tony Hagan told CTV News the male driver bought the ambulance off a government auction website in the GTA about a month ago. He told police he didn't know the lights were on and was intending to use the vehicle as a way to transport his furniture, Hagan said. 

The driver was issued six fines amounting to $660 for offences that include, the use of flashing red lights, not changing the ownership of the vehicle and not having licence plates displayed.