Teens Run Kentucky Ambulance Off Road
LOUISVILLE, Ky. --
A Louisville man was arrested after a bizarre incident involving two local EMS workers.
Police said the driver of a vehicle intentionally ran an ambulance off the road during a run on Preston Highway, near the Okolona area.
The ambulance was responding to fatal accident just minutes away. A motorcyclist lost control and crashed into a guard rail on the Outer Loop.
As first responders raced to the scene, an ambulance encountered an unexpected roadblock.
A Metro EMT and paramedic said a motorist got aggressive and tried forcing the vehicle off Preston Highway.
“Apparently they were doing this in a reckless manner, throwing up offensive hand gestures, nearly running the EMS ambulance off the roadway,” said police spokesman Dwight Mitchell.
Police said it was intentional and eventually, paramedic Eric Holland and EMT Carmalita Torrez left the road.
According to protocol, they stopped and called police.
“Their anger was they were on the way to the run that happened on Outer Loop that night. They were a little mad they were stopped and a further truck had to go the run because of this incident,” said Major Roger Parvin.
A Highview ambulance made it to the scene and police eventually caught up to the two people in the car at an intersection.
LMPD charged 19-year-old Anthony Hale with wanton endangerment, public intoxication, and unlawful transaction with a minor.
Police believe his friend, a juvenile with no license, was behind the wheel.
“We're told he did give the juvenile access to alcohol and as a result of this caused this action to happen,” said Mitchell.
“There's some days it takes you to the end of your patience when you come up behind somebody and get going pretty good and they just stop in front of us, or they aim for us. It will wear you out 12 runs into a shift,” said Parvin.
Police have not said if the juvenile has been arrested. Juvenile proceedings in Kentucky are confidential.
Hale will be arraigned Tuesday.
Neither EMS worker was hurt.
A Metro EMS official said the victim at the Outer Loop accident was pronounced dead at the scene.
He said even if the crew had arrived at the crash site, the victim could not have been saved.
