WARRENSBURG, Mo. — A Kansas City area EMS chief is speaking with the KSHB 41 I-Team after an ambulance crashed and killed a patient.
Kansas City, Missouri, police are now looking into what caused it. The crash happened on Sunday near 71 Highway and Bannister Road.
The ambulance was on its way to Research Medical Center, but never made it there. It was coming from Warrensburg with a patient on board.
“We’ve never had such a just a catastrophic type accident,” said Shane Lockard, the EMS chief with the Johnson County, Missouri, Ambulance District.
Lockard told the I-Team the patient needed specialty care for a gastrointestinal issue. That meant taking them to a larger hospital, which he said is a common practice.
“It was an urgent transport. The patient needed to go right away, but it wasn’t a lights and sirens response. It wasn’t critical,” Lockard said.
KCPD said the driver of the ambulance lost control near 71 Highway and Bannister Road. The vehicle then left the road and overturned twice. The patient died at the scene.
Lockard shared a message to the family who lost a loved one.
“Just absolutely that our hearts are broken for them. Their loss is real,” Lockard said.
Lockard said both crew members on board were taken to the hospital. They’re now at home.
“They became victims in this accident,” Lockard said. “We show up to work as EMTs and paramedics every day with our intent to help other people, to take care of people. To lose a patient is extremely hard on them as it is for our organization.”
Lockard said the driver of the ambulance was a 21-year-old EMT. She’s been on the job less than a year and began last October.
KCPD said the driver of the ambulance lost control near 71 Highway and Bannister Road. The vehicle then left the road and overturned twice. The patient died at the scene.
Lockard shared a message to the family who lost a loved one.
“Just absolutely that our hearts are broken for them. Their loss is real,” Lockard said.
Lockard said both crew members on board were taken to the hospital. They’re now at home.
“They became victims in this accident,” Lockard said. “We show up to work as EMTs and paramedics every day with our intent to help other people, to take care of people. To lose a patient is extremely hard on them as it is for our organization.”
Lockard said the driver of the ambulance was a 21-year-old EMT. She’s been on the job less than a year and began last October.
