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Must See: Paramedic, Troopers Scuffle in Oklahoma
DAVE STATTER
Courtesy STATter911.com
This incident happened Sunday on Highway 62 near Paden, Oklahoma. A trooper with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol pulled over a Creek Nation ambulance as it was heading to the hospital with a patient. TV station KWTV-TV broke this story.
KWTV-TV's Dave Jordan reports there is also dash cam video that apparently includes the alleged assault by the paramedic. That video has not been released.
STATter911.com has been in contact with the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Health System, the operators of the ambulance. Spokesman Thompson Gouge says the matter is under investigation. He could not confirm the current status of the EMS crew, but on Wednesday evening passed along the statements of Critical Care Paramedic Maurice White Jr, who was treating the patient, and EMT-B Paul Franks, who was driving the unit. Click the link above to read their accounts of the incident.
Some details earlier today from our sister station WFMY-TV's website:
A scuffle between first responders in Oklahoma is caught on tape. Highway Patrol troopers and a paramedic nearly come to blows while a patient waits to be taken to the hospital. The encounter was caught on a cell phone came by Kenyada Davis, the son of the patient in the ambulance.
The incident started when the ambulance failed to yield to state troopers en route to a call. Davis say the ambulance driver was trying to avoid hitting a car that slowed down and wasn't aware that troopers were nearby until it was too late
After the troopers finished their official business, they pulled the ambulance over. A struggle ensued as they tried to arrest the driver.
According to Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the paramedics assaulted the trooper just before the fight broke out.
The Okfuskee County District Attorney's office is reviewing footage and could file criminal charges against the paramedic by the end of the week.
Courtesy STATter911.com
This incident happened Sunday on Highway 62 near Paden, Oklahoma. A trooper with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol pulled over a Creek Nation ambulance as it was heading to the hospital with a patient. TV station KWTV-TV broke this story.
KWTV-TV's Dave Jordan reports there is also dash cam video that apparently includes the alleged assault by the paramedic. That video has not been released.
NEW: Read reports written by Critical Care Paramedic Maurice White Jr. and EMT-B Paul Franks
Watch the original story from KWTV-TV including interview with witnesses
STATter911.com has been in contact with the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Health System, the operators of the ambulance. Spokesman Thompson Gouge says the matter is under investigation. He could not confirm the current status of the EMS crew, but on Wednesday evening passed along the statements of Critical Care Paramedic Maurice White Jr, who was treating the patient, and EMT-B Paul Franks, who was driving the unit. Click the link above to read their accounts of the incident.
Some details earlier today from our sister station WFMY-TV's website:
A scuffle between first responders in Oklahoma is caught on tape. Highway Patrol troopers and a paramedic nearly come to blows while a patient waits to be taken to the hospital. The encounter was caught on a cell phone came by Kenyada Davis, the son of the patient in the ambulance.
The incident started when the ambulance failed to yield to state troopers en route to a call. Davis say the ambulance driver was trying to avoid hitting a car that slowed down and wasn't aware that troopers were nearby until it was too late
After the troopers finished their official business, they pulled the ambulance over. A struggle ensued as they tried to arrest the driver.
According to Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the paramedics assaulted the trooper just before the fight broke out.
The Okfuskee County District Attorney's office is reviewing footage and could file criminal charges against the paramedic by the end of the week.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Cody W. Nelson on
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If I were in that ambulance, I would not have stopped. The Paramedic is correct in stating that it is a felony for any one to assault a Paramedic while that Paramedic is performing his duties. The fact that the Trooper pulled the Paramedic out of the ambulance by force clears him of any abandonment issues. This is a sad example of egos colliding. The Trooper did not have reason to pull the ambulance over, other than to try to prove a point. I have to side with the Paramedic on this one. The guy had a job to do and repeatedly tried to re-enter the patient compartment and was repeatedly pulled out by this Trooper. Just sad. Professionalism at its worse.
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Permalink Reply by caleb on
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What kind of person would pull over an ambulance with lights and siren going? No matter how upset the patrolman was, that makes no sense to me. The paramedic should be able to write the patrolman a ticket for "not yielding right of way" for pulling them over lol.
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Permalink Reply by Daniel Efaw on
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Wow.... Ok the OKHP really has some issues... This guy is way outside of his limits and i mean the professional thing is to deal with it after the call. That officer should really be fired and if not fired placed in some serious anger management classes.... Think about it. If a firefighter refused to fight a fire because the victim cut them off? that would be a lawsuit instantly, or if a paramedic refuses to treat a patient because they are mean to them? so what gives the police any right to pull an ambulance over and do this? The enforcers of the law should not be above it and should not be given any freedom when it comes to their justice. If they are allowed to hang the medic and the emt for this, Who will draw the line?
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Permalink Reply by Steven on
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I'd just like to point out that the police have guns, we don't.
If a cop tells you to do something, it's on his (or her) watch, not yours. That might extend to patient care even, though I still think I would call my dispatch first before pulling over. Tell them of the situation and request another ambulance to take over patient care and wait for that ambulance (and hopefully MY supervisor) to arrive INSIDE the ambulance.
Maybe by locking the doors of the rig and squaking on the radio, the officer gets enough time to think about what he's getting himself into.
I have a few police officer friends I'd like to run this scenario by, see what their perspective is. From my understanding, police generally don't want to be saddled with the responsibility of a sick or dying patient unless there is no reasonable alternative.
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Permalink Reply by Joe Ginther on
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lets hope the lady recieving the ambulance ride is ok. we forget very quickly sometimes that our job (Fire, EMS and HP) is to serve the public. both parties could be at fault without getting more information in my own opinion
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Permalink Reply by FETC on
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This has lawsuit written all over it. Nobody really wins. The patient and the family, I am sure is gonna sue the cops, then Ambulance Service and now probably the Paramedic individually for patient abandonment.
Know what is the real kicker? At the end of the video the cops are trying to explain while choking the paramedic by the throat, (I think that might be excessive force) that he is under arrest but they are allowing him to get the patient to the hospital... but in all the adreneline one of the officers realized that the patient is suffering and more than likely this has $$$ signs or jobs associated with it... otherwise they would have finished the job of restraining and arresting the medic.
I am still wondering why they are arresting the attendant and not the driver? That my friends, is... Oh sh*t we may have fu*ked this one up"
Damn shame
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Permalink Reply by Dennis Brown on
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Well you dont get the hole story on this tape but it is still a sad day to see this
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Permalink Reply by Paul Everson on
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I watched this video and just got furious...I had to sign-off the computer and walk away before I could write a comment. First off, I wouldn't have pulled over. If a cop has a problem with something I did or was doing, they can meet me at the hospital or at the station after the call...Patient care is number one!!! Secondly, What in the hell is the trooper doing pushing the EMT or medic up against the rig and choking him!!! Who does he think he is doing that crap!!! This whole ordeal just pisses me off!!! Law enforcement and EMS or suppose to work as a team to serve the public and there the patinet sits on the cot when she should have been going to the hospital. I sure hope the patients outcome was not affected by this, if so, hello, is this my attorney office.
Note: I just re-read the initail description...This whole thing is because the ambulance didn't realize and give the right away to the troopers going to a call. Sounds to me like the trooper was over-running his siren by driving to fast. Can you say ...Anger Management!!!
Paul
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Permalink Reply by Bill Brierton on
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Sorry patient care is my responsibility not any police officers. If they want to tell me how to take care of a patient then patient care becomes their responsibility. Not sure locking the doors would of solved the situation but may have added to it by the PD busting windows to pull the driver and his partner out of the ambulance.
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After reading the statements of the medics and watching the video, makes me glad that I do not live in Oklahoma. With officers who in my opinion disrespected their positions, the medic's and the patient it makes me wonder why the officers are not facing criminal charges. AThe Okfuskeee DA better get his head of the sand and really see what the video has. If the medic did assult the officer where is the video from the dash camera's of the officers involved.
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Permalink Reply by josh tompkins on
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i really want to see this dash cam, but either way, the cops should not have pulled the medic off his patient. PATIENT CARE. after personal and crew safety it's rule number one. no one disagrees with that. the sadest thing is those cops wont lose their jobs. i also wonder what the chief complaint was because if her injuries werent life threatening the ambulance may not have needed to be driving aggressively. is it not possible for the different units to also know of eachother's whereabouts while in route to each respective scene from radio transmissions?
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