Ambulance involved in collision on US 119 – Kentucky

GOODY, Ky. – A trip to a local hospital took an unexpected turn for the patient and crew of a Quest Care EMS ambulance Thursday evening, when they found themselves involved in a two-vehicle collision on U.S. 119 at the intersection near Appalachian Tobacco and CVS Pharmacy.

According to information from Kentucky State Trooper Shannon Jones, the drivers of both the ambulance and the Ford F-150 pickup, Claude Preston, 80, of McVeigh, Ky., said to him that they each had the green light before proceeding through the intersection.

The emergency vehicle was reportedly traveling north on 119 and continued through the light, striking Preston and his wife, who was a passenger in the vehicle.

While speaking with numerous eye-witnesses at the scene, many gave the same statement, saying that the ambulance did not, at any time, sound the emergency siren when approaching the three-way stop.

They also told the Daily News that Preston’s lane of traffic had the green light, not the emergency vehicle, as the Quest Care driver had said.

A supervisor for Quest Care, Cyrus Hess, arrived shortly after the accident occurred, but refused to give a statement until after he concluded his own investigation.

He did comment, however; that the patient in the ambulance was taken on to South Williamson Appalachian Regional Hospital by Appalachian First Response, as well as the EMT that was in the back with the patient.

Hess also said that the ambulance driver would be transported to ARH to make sure he had suffered no injuries.

Preston was taken to the Pikeville Medical Center by family members to have a contusion and small laceration to his left arm evaluated.

“I stopped and looked before I pulled out onto the four-lane even though my light was green,” said Preston. “As I was about halfway into the turn, I saw the ambulance coming. There was nothing I could do. It was moving on; it never slowed down, it just kept coming right at me.

“If I would have been another two or three feet farther out, he would have t-boned my truck and you wouldn’t be standing here talking to me right now.”

Preston said that the ambulance driver swerved to try to miss him, but was unsuccessful.

The Daily News made numerous attempts to speak with someone at Quest Care to get a statement concerning the accident, but received no reply.

Members of the Belfry Volunteer Fire Department responded to the scene, along with additional law enforcement. The accident is still under investigation by Jones. No citations have been issued at this time.