Oklahoma cop pulls ambulance over; puts EMT in chokehold while patient

[p858snake]

Oklahoma cop pulls ambulance over; puts EMT in chokehold while patient lingers

An Oklahoma State Trooper pulled over an ambulance on its way to the hospital Sunday, resulting in the police officer placing a chokehold on a paramedic as a patient lingered in the back.

It was all caught on video by the patient?s son, who was following in another car.

The officer was apparently upset that the ambulance did not yield for him.

However, it is evident that the ambulance had a real emergency on its hands, unlike the cop, who had been speeding towards some incident he was able to resolve in minutes, enabling him to refocus his attention on the ambulance.

The incident marks the second time this year that a police officer pulled a vehicle over as it was clearly on its way to a hospital for an emergency.

Paramedics say they were rushing a woman to the hospital who had suffered heat exhaustion when they noticed the trooper traveling at a high rate of speed behind them. They say the trooper had its emergency lights on but had its sirens off.

The driver of the ambulance did not notice the trooper until it got right behind him. He pulled over allowing it to pass.

Through his microphone, the officer allegedly said, ?You should consider checking your rearview mirrors.?

The driver of the ambulance said he responded by lifting his hands in bewilderment.

Three blocks later, the trooper was seen pulling out of a side street - apparently having addressed his emergency or having picked up a female passenger - and pulled the ambulance over.

At first, paramedics thought the woman in the passenger side was having an emergency.

According to the paramedic?s transport incident report:

The officer got out of his vehicle in a state of rage. He approached my partner and yelled, ?Get your ass back here. I am giving you a ticket for failure to yield.?

He also added, ?What do you mean flipping me off??g me off??[/indent]

The trooper wanted to cite the driver of the ambulance but the other paramedic insisted on driving the patient to the hospital first, then allowing the driver to be cited.

The trooper then told the second paramedic that he was under arrest for obstruction and attempted to grab the paramedic?s arm.

But the paramedic reminded him that it was a felony to assault a paramedic in the line of duty, especially when he needs to transport a patient to the hospital.

They struggled briefly before the paramedic was able to hop in the back of the ambulance to tend to the patient.

By that time, another trooper had pulled up and started banging on the side of the ambulance, telling the paramedic that he was under arrest for assault.

The paramedic stepped out of the vehicle and another struggle ensued - this one caught on tape - which resulted in a cop grabbing the paramedic in a vise-like-grip around his neck.

The officers finally allowed the paramedics to transport the patient to the hospital where they planned to arrest the paramedic.

But then they finally got smart and contacted the district attorney, who insisted on reviewing the evidence before filing charges.

Police say they have their own version of the truth that was recorded by their dashboard cam. Of course they are refusing to release it.

At one point in the hospital, the trooper told the paramedic that he was so enraged about the perceived ?flipping off? gesture that he considered pulling his gun out and using deadly force, according to the paramedic?s transport report.

Source: Photography is Not a Crime

[Slammers]

Completely Speechless.

[pHaez]

I have a feeling we will be reading about this officer's resignation sometime this weekend.

[d3nuo]

I have a feeling we will be reading about this officer's resignation sometime this weekend.

i hope so. can't stand it when cops think they're above the law and abuse their powers.

[Dane]

Get the **** out!

That officer is a douche bag. I couldn't imagine being enroute on an emergency call and dealing with an officer like this.

I'd file charges against that officer pretty ****ing fast. Assault and battery, reckless endangerment of a person, disorderly conduct, abuse of power, and excessive force.

This cop BETTER be fired.

**** that man. After reading that entire report. I personally hope the EMT/Paramedic, and the PT's family sue the **** out of that officer for everything that ****er has, and then go after the other officer(s) if any that were involved and did nothing.

They shouldn't be wearing a badge, nor should they be carrying a gun after saying he considered using deadly force because someone flipped him off!

Seems like after he gets fired and sued he should be committed to a mental hospital, he has some issues that he needs to work out before he can function in the world again.

They have 9 witnesses that were involved, so action better be taken.

Edited May 28, 2009 by Dane

[~ Rogue ~]

What the hell ... ?

I'm totally speechless.

[Black Flash]

Police have been on a roll lately, this guy needs to lose his job.

[+M2Ys4U Subscriber¹]

... If those officers aren't fired, something's completely wrong.

[Dane]

... If those officers aren't fired, something's completely wrong.

Very much so! I really hope he/other officer gets fired. then the one who made physical conduct is sued by the EMT/medic, then hopefully the PT's family goes after him as well.

[Rudy]

... If those officers aren't fired, something's completely wrong.

+1

[stfu.]

**** like this boils my blood :@

[Growled Member]

... If those officers aren't fired, something's completely wrong.

+2 This is completely over the edge.

[obiwong]

Police say they have their own version of the truth that was recorded by their dashboard cam. Of course they are refusing to release it.

lol

how could there be another version of the truth

there's already a video recoded by the patient's son

must me some magic cop camera

[PurpleHaze420]

This is the definition of a cop who was bullied as a kid and now wants to take it out on the rest of society.

[Lexcyn]

**** like this boils my blood :@

+1000000000000 WTF were these cops thinking? Seriously????

BTW I had no idea a cop could pull over an ambulance since they are considered emergency vehicles?

[t_r_nelson]

+1000000000000 WTF were these cops thinking? Seriously????

BTW I had no idea a cop could pull over an ambulance since they are considered emergency vehicles?

I have a friend who drive an ambulance in Minnesota. He said that even though it's an emergency vehicle, they are still subject to all normal laws. They are not supposed to speed, run lights/stop signs, etc. So, technically, the State Patrol can pull them over for not yielding the right-of-way to the patrol car.

BUT, they are complete douchebags for what they did and should be severely disciplined. At a minimum, no promotions for their career. They should lose their jobs for being peckerheads.

[soonerproud]

This just makes me ashamed to be a Okie. I hope the prosecutor throws the book at the officer and he gets that felony charge.

[Lexcyn]

Speechless: http://www.news9.com/global/story.asp?s=10427244

"The Okfuskee County District Attorney's office is reviewing all of the footage and could file criminal charges against the paramedic by the end of the week."

[Growled Member]

This just makes me ashamed to be a Okie. I hope the prosecutor throws the book at the officer and he gets that felony charge.

Are all you people over there that crazy? :p Just teasing ya. :)

[VIVIsectVI]

Oklahoma cops are douchebags. An me and an ex were on a roadtrip back to my home state, and traffic on the interstate thru Oklahoma was horrible. This highway patrol cop came flying up behind us, without his lights on, and gets right on our ass...then kicks his lights on a few minutes later. We pull over and the cop comes to a skidding stop, bumps us with his car as he's stopping, and just gets out to yell and bitch at us how we're supposed to 'get out of the way of a police vehicle'. Before we even have a chance to say anything, he then runs and hops back in his car, speeds off, leaving us sitting there wondering what the hell that was all about. Turns out there was a semi pile-up further up the road a few miles, but we had no way of knowing that, because the moron wasn't following normal emergency response procedures.

[obiwong]

Speechless: http://www.news9.com/global/story.asp?s=10427244

"The Okfuskee County District Attorney's office is reviewing all of the footage and could file criminal charges against the paramedic by the end of the week."

wtf

that's crazy

[+Tyranade Subscriber²]

WHAT THE HOLY ****, YOU CANT PULL OVER A AMBULANCE !!!. Im disgusted.

[Dane]

Speechless: http://www.news9.com/global/story.asp?s=10427244

"The Okfuskee County District Attorney's office is reviewing all of the footage and could file criminal charges against the paramedic by the end of the week."

GTFO!!!! What about charges against the officers huh?!

[ViperAFK]

What a ****ing scumbag

[Black Flash]

Speechless: http://www.news9.com/global/story.asp?s=10427244

"The Okfuskee County District Attorney's office is reviewing all of the footage and could file criminal charges against the paramedic by the end of the week."

You can't be serious! That district attorney is just as much of a dick as those cops then!