Early Sunday morning, May 8, an accident involving an ambulance on the 10 Freeway in Ontario left a paramedic dead and the ambulance driver injured, according to KTLA.
The ambulance accident occurred shortly after 6 a.m. in the westbound lanes of the freeway, east of Fourth Street. California Highway Patrol (CHP) officials report that the driver of the ambulance swerved for unknown reasons and crashed into a utility pole traveling at speeds estimated to be around 65 to 75 mph. A 23-year-old male paramedic was sitting in the back of the vehicle and was not wearing a seat belt. He suffered major injuries in the accident and was taken to a local hospital, where he later died. The driver, a 25-year-old male, suffered injuries that were reported to be moderate. There were no patients inside the ambulance at the time of the collision. The cause of the California ambulance accident is under investigation by the CHP.
According to a 2003 report conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the most recent study available, between 1991 and 2000 there were 300 fatal ambulance accidents, which resulted in the deaths of 82 ambulance occupants and 275 occupants in other vehicles and pedestrians. Under most state laws, ambulance drivers are able to drive past red lights or stop signs after slowing down, exceed speed limits, park in restricted areas, and drive or turn in a manner that disregards traffic laws as long as they are not endangering the lives of other people. If an ambulance is involved in an accident and it is determined the ambulance driver was operating the vehicle recklessly, the driver and the ambulance company may be held liable for any injuries, deaths, and other losses that result.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a vehicle collision in California in which you believe another motorist acted carelessly or in another reckless manner, contact Panish Shea & Boyle LLP. Our California car accident lawyers will work diligently to hold negligent parties accountable for their actions in order for you to receive the compensation you need and deserve. Call 1-877-800-1700 today.
