AdventHealth patient has vehicle stolen by man who drove him to hospital

A Tavares man was arrested after taking someone to the hospital in their car but continuing to drive it while they were medically treated.

A deputy responded to AdventHealth Waterman, located at 1000 Waterman Way, regarding a stolen vehicle around 11:34 a.m. Aug. 21, according to an arrest report from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. 

Upon arrival, the deputy met with the victim who advised that he began having a medical emergency around 3 a.m. Tuesday. He asked 36-year-old Bradley Scott Baird to drive him to the hospital for medical attention. While on the way to the hospital, he told Baird that he must take his black Lincoln Navigator immediately back to his residence and drive it nowhere else, the report said. 

The victim was told by roommates the vehicle was never returned by Baird, and he was still driving the car. As a result, the victim completed and signed a sworn affidavit with intent to prosecute, the report said. 

The deputy then spoke with a roommate of the victim who stated Baird stayed on a dirt road off Northern Avenue in Leesburg. This led the deputy to driving around the area Wednesday until he spotted a black Lincoln towing a trailer going past him to stop at the intersection of South Haines Creek Road and Northen Avenue. A check of the license plate revealed the trailer to be registered to the victim and to match the plate number provided by him, the report said. 

A traffic stop was conducted on the vehicle, and Baird provided his name. This was used to identify him by his photograph in a law enforcement database. It also revealed Baird did not possess a valid driver’s license as of Jan. 25, 2011, and he received a citation for driving while his license was suspended on Aug. 1, 2014, the report said. 

Baird advised that he dropped the victim off at the hospital early in the morning Tuesday and had been driving the vehicle ever since, the report said. 

The Michigan native was arrested on charges of grand theft of motor vehicle and driving while license suspended. He was transported to Lake County Jail and released after posting $3,500 bond.