UPDATED 11:15 p.m. further details from UHP added to the bottom of the story.
UPDATED: 9:57 p.m. to reflect further details received from UHP.
HURRICANE – An accident occurred around 8 p.m. Saturday on state Highway 9 in the area of 3400 West between a van carrying four people and a Colorado City ambulance carrying seven people.
The Colorado City ambulance was en route to Intermountain Healthcare’s Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George with emergency lights and siren turned on. They were transporting a patient in critical condition to the hospital.
Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Dan Altenes said one child with critical injuries was initially transported by ground to a rendezvous point where the child was transferred to a Life Flight helicopter for continuing transport to Intermountain Health Care’s Dixie Regional Medical Center. Altenes’ report at just before 10 p.m. stated that the child was being prepped at Dixie Regional for further transport to a hospital in Las Vegas.
In total, all four occupants of the passenger van, one of which was the child mentioned above, and seven occupants of the ambulance were transported to the hospital in St. George,with injuries ranging from minor to critical.
Hurricane Police Department deferred to UHP concerning information on the matter. Information from Mohave County Sheriff’s Department has been requested by St. George News concerning the preceding event in Colorado City, Ariz.
Additional information provided by Altenes at 11:15 p.m. is as follows:
Those injured in the ambulance included five ambulance crew members, a stroke victim and his wife.
The van was occupied by two adults and two children from Switzerland.
The van was turning left from 3400 West by Wal-mart onto state Route 9 towards Hurricane on a green light. The ambulance was approaching the intersection and proceeded through the intersection at approximately 60 mph. The ambulance t-boned the van on the driver’s side. Impact speed was estimated at 45-50 mph.
An 8-year-old female sitting behind the van driver took the brunt of the impact. She was not breathing at the scene and was transported to Dixie Regional Medical Center. An airway was established at the hospital and the victim was transported to a hospital in Las Vegas.
The stroke victim suffered a gash to his head. An EMT on the ambulance suffered a broken arm. All other injuries were reported as not life threatening.
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @JoyceKuzmanic
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2012, all rights reserved.
Great job reporting it to us.
Not all the above information is correct. I hope Colorado City ambulance learns a huge lesson. They transport every patient lights and sirens going at high rates of speed. Most of the patients they transport don’t even need to be transported by ambulance let alone lights and sirens. They have been reported to the state EMS multiple times but nothing happens. All 7 occupants from the ambulance were treated and released.
Sharon, our Sunday morning recap and update on the story contains greater detail – among other things on those injured, their injuries and current status – as availed to us by the Utah Highway Patrol. May we refer you to that story? Here’s the link:
http://www.stgeorgeutah.com/news/archive/2012/07/29/swiss-girl-remains-in-critical-condition-after-ambulance-minivan-collision/
How truly awful. I wish all those involved a full recovery. Thanks for the report Joyce.
How do you safely transport 7-8 people in an ambulance? Thought provoking…