A drunken teenage girl who broke a paramedic's finger has been ordered to pay him £1,200 in compensation.

Hayley Cooke, 18, tried to punch paramedic Jonathan Busst when he was trying to help her.

He blocked the blow, but she pulled back his finger.

At Brighton Magistrates Court Cooke, of Crest Way, Portslade, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm.

The court heard an ambulance was called to Portslade to attend an incident on the evening of January 17.

Sonia Flijani, prosecuting, said the vehicle was parked in Foredown Drive while the paramedics wrote up paperwork at about 11pm when they heard a woman screaming and shouting.

They saw Cooke staggering along the road alone and when she approached the ambulance she started to kick and thump the emergency vehicle.

Mr Busst got out of the ambulance and asked Cooke what she was doing.

Ms Flijani said: "She tried to punch him. When he blocked the blow she grabbed his finger and pulled it."

Cooke, who works for a pharmacy firm, staggered off in the heavy rain and fell over on the grass verge. She continued to shout abuse.

The ambulance crew alerted the police and when officers arrived they found the teenager rolling around on the ground in the mud.

Cooke was given a fixed penalty notice for being drunk and disorderly.

Later Mr Busst needed hospital treatment for his finger, which had become sore and swollen. An x-ray showed it was fractured. He needed time off work until the injury healed.

The court heard Cooke has received a further fixed penalty ticket for being drunk since the incident but has no previous convictions.

Andy Horsman, defending, said: "She is very sorry. She cannot remember what happened because she was drunk.

"She knows it is totally unacceptable to assault anyone, especially those serving the public. She is thoroughly ashamed of her behaviour."

Mr Horsman said at the time Cooke was under emotional pressure and suffering from depression.

He said: "It was a one-off and the risk of her re-offending is minimal."

Cooke was sentenced to a 12-month community order and must carry out 120 hours of unpaid work in the community. She was also ordered to pay £43 costs.

The Argus revealed last month that dozens of frontline ambulance crews are attacked or verbally abused in Sussex while trying to do their job.

Latest figures show 40 reported cases of physical assaults across the county between April 2008 and March this year.

A further 46 crews suffered verbal abuse, threats or aggressive behaviour.

The attacks caused a range of injuries, including broken bones, cuts and bruises.

South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Trust has a zero tolerance policy regarding violence and abuse against its staff and seeks to prosecute the offender wherever possible.

The Argus:  http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/4430768.Drunk_Sussex_teen_broke_medic_s_finger/

WASHINGTON - Quick-thinking firefighters are credited with saving residents from potential disaster after a man suspected of being high on PCP allegedly hijacked a D.C. ambulance.

It began just after 10 p.m. Monday night in the 5200 block of Clay Street NE. A 911 a call for an unconscious man brings a firefighter/EMT crew with Ambulance 30 to the scene.

Authorities say the crew got the man in the ambulance, suspecting he has overdosed on PCP. The first responders radioed officials, saying at the time the patient was calm and agreeable.

But as they are transporting the patient, one of the crew members radios that the patient is out of control and combative, officials said.


We're told he took off all of his clothes, assaulted both firefighters and then managed to crawl through the ambulance to the front seat and hijack the vehicle.

Back at the station, firefighters with Engine 30 hear the distress calls and move into action. They get to the area within minutes and are able to block the runaway ambulance. The patient crashed the ambulance into the side of the fire truck. He was taken into custody and another ambulance was called to take him to the hospital.

On Tuesday, D.C. Fire Chief Dennis Rubin called them "tremendously brave firefighters."

"We appreciate the efforts by the crew on Engine 30 last night," Rubin continued. "I think, without a doubt, they protected lives; they limited property damage. A gentleman in this condition taking control of one of our ambulances could have been just sheer disaster and pandemonium for our city."

No one was seriously hurt. But both firefighters had minor bruises from the hand-to-hand combat

The ambulance did sustain quite a bit of damage, according to authorities. It is now out of service. 

It's unclear if the patient was charged. His name has not been released.

WJLA:  http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0609/630371.html

DETROIT (AP) - Two people have died after a crash involving a Detroit Fire Department ambulance on the city's west side.

The Detroit Free Press says an EMS truck and a passenger van collided Saturday evening, leaving a year-old passenger in the van and a 58-year-old patient in the ambulance dead.

A 12-year-old was listed in critical condition at Henry Ford Hospital and the 39-year-old female driver of the van and her 20-year-old passenger were listed in stable condition at Detroit Receiving Hospital.

It was not immediately known whether the patient in the ambulance died from injuries related to the crash or from the earlier medical emergency. The 1-year old was pronounced dead at Children's Hospital of Michigan.

Police are investigating.
 

WXYZ Story and Video:  http://www.wxyz.com/mostpopular/story/2-Killed-in-Detroit-Ambulance-Crash/J-7TILboUUOx5FBwHIBC2g.cspx

Interstate 10 eastbound at Chaffee Road has reopened after a crash involving a semi truck and an ambulance that closed the interstate earlier this morning.

Traffic was being re-routed from the interstate to Chaffee Road. Check Jacksonville.com's traffic page to get updates on any lingering delays.

Jacksonville News:  http://www.jacksonville.com/news/metro/crime/2009-06-08/story/eastbound_i-10_just_past_chaffee_road_reopened_after_accident

A HAMPSHIRE ambulance answering a 999 call was involved in a hit and run crash with a car, it emerged today.

The ambulance was travelling down Hordle Cliff Road towards Milford-on-Sea, with blue lights flashing.

As it passed Hordle Cliff car park a car pulled out, colliding with the rear of the ambulance.

The impact caused the ambulance to spin, before crashing into a white Ford Escort van, which had been travelling towards New Milton.

The car which had come from the car park, a dark coloured estate, failed to stop at the scene and drove off in the direction of Whitby Road.

The driver of the ambulance and the driver of the Ford Escort van both suffered minor injuries and were taken to Bournemouth hospital for treatment.

Police are appealing for witnesses to the crash which happened at 10.15pm on last night.

PC Simon Hughes said, “We are seeking any witnesses who may have seen a dark coloured estate car in the area of the crash, which may have suffered some damage, or who may have witnessed the collision itself.”

Anyone with any information in relation to this incident should contact PC Simon Hughes at Lymington police station on 0845 045 4545, or call Crimestoppers, the charity, anonymously on 0800 555 111.

by Chris Yandell

This is Hampshire:  http://www.thisishampshire.net/news/4425725.Ambulance_involved_in_hit_and_run_crash/

A Ford F-150 pickup truck collided with an ambulance at 6:37 a.m. Sunday, June 7.
 
The collision was at Garfield and Adam avenues in Toms River. EMS Network:  http://www.emsnetwork.org/artman2/publish/article_37353.shtml



The ambulance was not en route to an emergency.

The pickup truck, driven by a man, had to be towed from the site, but township police reported no injuries.

A Dickinson High School student was struck by an ambulance that veered into oncoming traffic to get around cars outside the Jersey City school this morning as it responded to a call with its siren on and lights flashing, officials told The Jersey Journal. EMS Network:  http://www.emsnetwork.org/artman2/publish/article_37354.shtml








William Vinenzaca, 18, suffered a minor injury to his knee and was taken to the Jersey City Medical Center, reports said.

Medical Center spokesman Mark Rabson said Vinenzaca was evaluated in the emergency room and released.

Vinenzaca was struck at 8:19 a.m. when the ambulance driven by Ethan Y. Brovman, 22, also of Jersey City, was heading south on Palisade Avenue past the school when he crossed into the northbound lanes to go around cars backed up from Newark Avenue, reports said.

Brovman said Vinenzaca walked onto Palisade Avenue from in between two of the cars backed up in the southbound lanes, reports said.

Vinenzaca told police he was looking to his right as he entered the street and did not see the ambulance as it approached him heading the wrong way, reports said.

Rabson said the JCMC ambulance was moving slowly and being waved forward by police officers at the scene when it struck the student.

DETROIT - Two people have died after a crash involving a Detroit Fire Department ambulance on the city's west side.

The Detroit Free Press says an EMS truck and a passenger van collided Saturday evening, leaving a year-old passenger in the van and a 58-year-old patient in the ambulance dead.

A 12-year-old was listed in critical condition at Henry Ford Hospital and the 39-year-old female driver of the van and her 20-year-old passenger were listed in stable condition at Detroit Receiving Hospital.

It was not immediately known whether the patient in the ambulance died from injuries related to the crash or from the earlier medical emergency. The 1-year old was pronounced dead at Children's Hospital of Michigan.
 

Chicago Tribune:  http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-mi-fatalcrash-michig,0,8254.story 

Two Rural/Metro ambulance workers and a patient remain in stable condition today after an ambulance wrecked in Northeast Knox County the night before, officials said. EMS Network:  http://www.emsnetwork.org/artman2/publish/article_37331.shtml








The wreck happened around 9 p.m. Friday on Washington Pike near Washington Valley Lane when the ambulance hit a utility pole, Knox County E-911 records show. No other cars were involved, Rural/Metro spokeswoman Cynthia Moxley said.

Circumstances that led to the crash haven't been released.

The patient and one of the workers were taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center, while the other worker was taken to St. Mary's North. Officials haven't given their names.

Moxley said the ambulance was bringing the patient home from a hospital and didn't have its emergency lights or siren on when the wreck happened.

Rural/Metro officials said they'll cooperate with the Knox County Sheriff's Office investigation of the wreck and launch their own investigation of the cause.

An EMS truck and a passenger van collided this evening, leaving a year-old passenger in the van and a 58-year-old patient in the ambulance dead.
 
A 12-year-old was listed in critical condition at Henry Ford Hospital and the 39-year-old female driver of the van and her 20-year-old passenger were listed in stable condition at Detroit Receiving Hospital. Police were unsure who was at fault in the 5:30 p.m. crash. EMS Network:  http://www.emsnetwork.org/artman2/publish/article_37330.shtml








The EMS truck was northbound on Grand River and the van was eastbound on McGraw when they collided. The 1-year-old and 12-year-old were thrown out of the back of the van during the crash. The toddler's mother was driving the van.

It has not been determined whether the patient in the ambulance died from injuries related to the crash or from the earlier medical emergency. The 1-year old was pronounced dead at Children's Hospital of Michigan.

Grand River was closed at McGraw during the crash investigation.
 

SEMINOLE — A 23-year-old Largo man was killed Thursday night after he rammed a motorcycle into an SUV at Starkey Road and 109th Ave. N.

Florida Highway Patrol troopers said Ryan Craig Palmisano accelerated from a nearby traffic signal at a high speed. A witness said the motorcycle "shot off like a rocket" before hitting a Lincoln Navigator that was making a left turn.

Palmisano was pronounced dead at Bardmoor Emergency Center, but not before his ambulance was involved in another wreck on the way to the hospital.

FHP Sgt. Larry Kraus said an investigation is in progress and no charges have been filed.

The crash occurred about 9 p.m. as Jason David Wells, 21, was crossing Starkey Road onto 109th Avenue. His SUV was struck in the rear by Palmisano, who was riding a 2007 Honda, according to an FHP report.

According to the report, Palmisano accelerated toward 109th Avenue N after the traffic signal turned green at the nearby Starkey and Bryan Dairy intersection. Wells, traveling north on Starkey, had turned left across southbound Starkey toward 109th and was struck by the front of the motorcycle.

Motorist Ray Kalmbach, who was waiting to exit a Publix parking lot onto Starkey when the accident occurred, said the traffic signal was still red at Bryan Dairy Road when Wells began his turn across Starkey.

"As soon as that light turned green, (Palmisano) shot off like a rocket," he said. "The SUV was black so maybe he never saw it. The thing is, it was completely unnecessary. There was no one to (Palmisano's) left. He could have swerved if he had the reaction time."

Palmisano was wearing a helmet according to the FHP report. Wells, of Largo, was uninjured.

The ambulance that took Palmisano to the hospital was struck as it crossed the intersection of Starkey and Bryan Dairy roads, authorities said.

The ambulance was delayed briefly, but then continued on to the hospital, which is located near the intersection. No one on board was injured, according to Pinellas Sheriff's officials.

The driver who hit the ambulance was cited for failing to yield to an emergency vehicle, officials said, but his name was unavailable Friday. Another ambulance took that driver to Bardmoor as a precaution.

St. Petersburg Times:  http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/accidents/article1007504.ece

 

An accident involving an ambulance sent three people to the hospital and shut down a section of Washington Pike near Washington Valley Lane for a few hours Friday night.

The Rural/Metro ambulance, which was transporting a patient home from the hospital, ran off the road, knocked down a utility pole and drove into someone's front yard. Officials aren't sure what caused the accident.

The ambulance did not have its lights and sirens on at the time of the accident because it was transporting a patient home.

Two Rural/Metro employees and the patient were transported by other Rural/Metro ambulances to area hospitals, according to Cynthia Moxley, spokeswoman for Rural/Metro. The patient and one employee were transported to UT Medical Center. The other employee was taken to St. Mary's North. All are listed in stable condition.

Power lines are blocking the road. Rural Metro and the Knox County Sheriff's Office are currently working to clean up the scene.

Officials estimate that section of road will be closed for at least a couple hours.

The KCSO is investigating the accident.

Stay with wbir.com for more details on this developing story.

 


WBIR:  http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=89751&provider=top

CORRYTON (WATE) -- An ambulance careened out of control and hit a power pole with at last one patient inside Friday evening.

The crash happened near the intersection of Washington pike and Maloneyville Road around 9 P.M. Friday night.

Other ambulances came to the scene to help.

According to reports, a total of three people were taken to the hospital.

The condition of the patients and EMT's inside the wrecked ambulance are unknown.


WATE:  http://www.wate.com/global/story.asp?s=10488577

Deputy fire chief asks for drivers to pay attention while approaching emergency scenes on the sides of roads Posted By Michael Di Massa News Staff  
A Strathcona County emergency response vehicle was involved in a collision around 6:15 a.m. Wednesday after it had responded to a medical emergency along Highway 15.

According to Strathcona County Emergency Services deputy fire chief Vern Elliot, one of the agency’s rescue trucks — a Ford one-ton — was rear-ended by a passing pickup truck.

The rescue vehicle had responded to a medical call for a person in an automobile near Range Road 220 and parked in the fast lane near Highway 15’s median.

Elliot said the truck was positioned on the road to provide protection as emergency crews treated their patient, “as is our policy.”

It was then hit by a west-bound pickup truck.

Elliot said no injuries were caused as a result of the collision.

He noted that drivers are required by law to slow down to 60 km/h when approaching emergency vehicles on the side of the road.

Getting the message out to slow down around emergency vehicles “fortifies my hope that people will be aware out there on the roads,” Elliot said. “It’s one of the things we face every day and (collisions like this) puts it in the back of our heads, that’s for sure.”

mdimassa@sherwoodparknews.com

Sherwood Park News:  http://www.sherwoodparknews.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1600218

An Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper will not face charges for his role in an altercation with a paramedic.  The fight happened while the ambulance was on the way to the hospital with a patient.  The patient's son caught the incident on camera.  According to the OHP report, the troopers pulled over the Creek Nation ambulance after they thought the EMT had given them an inappropriate gesture.  On Friday, the Creek County District Attorney ruled no one will face charges in the case saying he hopes next time there will be better communication.

KSBI TV Story and Video:  http://www.ksbitv.com/news/47107842.html