OKLAHOMA CITY -- A heated altercation between an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper and a Creek Nation paramedic is getting thousands of internet hits.
So on Monday the trooper's attorney, Gary James, said it was time to tell his client's side of the story at a press conference. James says Trooper Daniel Martin was justified in pulling over an ambulance on May 24th in Okfuskee County because the driver, Paul Franks, didn't yield to Martin earlier. James also claims Franks flashed an obscene hand gesture. The altercation began when the ambulance supervisor, paramedic Maurice White, came to his driver's defense.
White is seen on the trooper's dash cam video jumping out of the back of the ambulance. He can be heard telling Martin they were transporting a patient and suggests they discuss the issue at a hospital in Prague.
James says his client didn't notice lights or sirens running on the ambulance, so he assumed it wasn't an urgent trip.
"This patient in the back of that vehicle is not facing any kind of medical emergency," James said. "It's a transport." James defended Martin, saying it was White who caused two scuffles by being defiant and resisting orders to get back in the ambulance.
James also showed photos of supposed injuries trooper Martin sustained from the encounter.
"This just tells the public that if an officer is trying to arrest you and you don't agree, fight him," he said.
The State Health Department EMS Director, Shawn Rogers, says ambulances must always follow officers' orders, even if their lights and sirens are running.However, Rogers points out that paramedics will sometimes travel without sirens blaring in order to keep the patient calm.
He says what happened in the altercation was extremely rare, regardless of who's at fault.
"It's all about the patient," Rogers says. "We're all there to get the patient to the destination, the hospital, safely."
The patient, Stella Jordan, who was being transported because she had fainted at home, released a statement. She says during the commotion outside the ambulance, she began screaming and says her heart raced so fast, she started having trouble breathing.
No charges have been filed against White, who was never arrested. OHP administrators will determine if trooper Martin will eventually be disciplined. If you want to see the altercation video in its entirety, you can log onto www.kfor.com/dashcam.
Re: EMT Versus State Trooper
Member #: 60102
Registered: 6/29/2008
Posted:
516
Name:
Tom
Occupation:
Field Tech
Location:
Bath NC
Personal:
50-ish
Experience:
~20 years
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