By Cindy Leise
GRAFTON TWP. — The Ohio Highway Patrol has completed its investigation of the Sept. 15 ambulance crash that killed an 82-year-old man, and troopers turned over the report to the county prosecutor to determine whether charges are warranted against the ambulance driver.
Zygmunt J. Pacyna of Hinckley Township was killed when his Cavalier collided with a Grafton Township ambulance driven by Richard Robinson at Island Road and state Route 303.
The ambulance crew had just picked up an injured man on Island and was traveling 20 mph with lights and sirens when it pulled onto Route 303 and collided with Pacyna’s car, which was eastbound on Route 303 going 53 mph, according to Trooper Scott Powers.
There was a stop sign for drivers coming off of Island Road, but not for Pacyna as he traveled on Route 303, Powers said.
Powers said the ambulance driver had the responsibility under the law to use “due caution” before proceeding through the stop sign, Powers said.
Robinson told Grafton Township fire officials he was “barely rolling” at the time of the crash and said it almost seemed like Pacyna “speeded up” before entering the intersection, Assistant Fire Chief Timothy Adams said earlier.
Robinson told fire personnel at the scene that he had “almost come to a complete stop” at the stop sign before pulling onto the state route.
Robinson, 26, of Cleveland, was treated at EMH Regional Medical Center in Elyria for minor injuries.
Contact Cindy Leise at 329-7245 or [email protected].
