A scuffle between two highway patrol officers and an EMT was captured on video after the police pulled over an ambulance on route to the hospital with a patient on board.
The incident occurred on Highway 62 near Boley in Okfuskee County, Oklahoma.
The video begins with the patients son, Mr Kenyada Davis, explaining Highway Patrol have pulled my moms ambulance over because hes mad we didnt pull over.
The troopers were responding to a call of their own and were evidently annoyed that the ambulance did not yield and give way to them on the road.
Hes trying to arrest the EMT taking my mother to the hospital. Davis explains.
The video then shows one of the troopers pointing at the paramedic and yelling You are under arrest, you are under arrest.
As the patient begins to scream inside the ambulance, the EMT, Mr Maurice White, Jr., tries to explain that he is trying to get to the hospital.
As he raises a hand in gesture, one of the troopers is seen to grab Mr White in an attempt to put him in an arm lock and cuff him. Mr White resists and a scuffle breaks out. Mr White attempts to get back into the ambulance, at which point the trooper grabs him by the throat.
Im going to the hospital. Mr White again says, while Mr Davis pleads hes a doctor.
The troopers then relent and return to their vehicle.
Mr White has given a statement in which he explains how he told the trooper he had a patient in the ambulance and that they were on their way to the hospital.
He ignored my statement, became even more belligerent, and demanded my partner come to his patrol car so he could write him a ticket, White says. I calmly told the officer that we were transporting a patient and we could continue this at the hospital.
White also writes that the trooper told him they could continue on to the hospital, but that he would be under arrest once they arrived. White was not arrested, but states that the troopers told him he should be prepared to turn himself in if a warrant was issued.
Paul Franks, the driver of the ambulance, has also provided a written statement.
According to reports, the troopers have claimed that the paramedic assaulted one of them before the camera started rolling.
The district attorney in Okfuskee County is expected to take a look at the video and may file charges against Maurice White as soon as this week.
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol have refused to comment on the video while it is still under review.
Thankfully the patient was treated at the hospital and was released later the same day.
Here is the statement made by the EMT:
http://static.ktul.com/documents/emts...
And the ambulance driver:
http://static.ktul.com/documents/fran...
And the article discussing it:
http://www.ktul.com/news/stories/0509...
Category: News & Politics