S.C. Ambulance, Car Collide at Intersection

Dec. 31--ROCK HILL -- A Piedmont Medical Center ambulance collided with a car at the intersection of Heckle Boulevard and Hollis Lakes Road about 4 p.m. Wednesday.

Two people in a 2014 Lexus were taken to Carolinas Medical Center-Main in Charlotte for treatment. Their conditions are not known and their names were not released by the Rock Hill Police Department.

Three Piedmont Medical Center employees were treated and released at PMC, a hospital spokeswoman said.

The ambulance was transporting a patient to PMC. That person was later pronounced dead at the hospital, according to a police report.

Amy Faulkenberry, Piedmont's vice president of external relations, said Thursday, "Our thoughts remain with all those involved in yesterday's accident involving the EMS vehicle. Other than confirming the treatment and release of the three EMS employees, unfortunately, we cannot provide any further information due to patient privacy laws."

The accident happened about 3:50 p.m. Wednesday when a PMC ambulance, with its lights and sirens activated, approached the intersection of Heckle Boulevard and Hollis Lakes Road.

The driver of the ambulance, whose name was not released, said he was driving south on Heckle Boulevard going about 60-70 mph when he approached the intersection with Hollis Lakes Road. He told police he slowed down as he passed traffic on the left while he was in the southbound left turn lane. He said he saw the Lexus at the intersection and "believed it was going to stop," according to the report.

The two vehicles collided, with both ending up in a ditch along the southbound lanes.

The driver of the Lexus was dazed and unable to provide details of the accident, according to the police report. Other drivers interviewed at the scene told police the Lexus proceeded into the intersection when the traffic light turned green. A driver told police she did not hear the ambulance's siren, possibly due to the bad weather.

No one was charged in the crash, although police say the ambulance driver "failed to use due regard when proceeding through the intersection."

The report also said that police officers "also believe" the driver of the Lexus was unaware of the approaching emergency vehicle due to his field of vision being blocked by another vehicle and the driver was unable to hear the ambulance's siren due to the weather.

Copyright 2015 - The Herald (Rock Hill, S.C.)