Associated Press
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa — An emergency medical technician has been fired for allegedly driving an ambulance while intoxicated. Paul Engman, who worked for Midwest Ambulance Service of Iowa, is accused of arriving at work two hours early on June 22, smelling of alcohol and attempting to set up an intravenous fluid transfusion on himself, according to state records. He was fired the same day.

When questioned later by police, Engman allegedly said he set up the transfusion to eliminate some of the alcohol in his system, then changed his mind and decided not to follow through with the plan.

Security officers allegedly summoned the police after they saw Engman driving around the lot in an ambulance. Engman was cited for public intoxication, a misdemeanor offense.

Court records indicate the charge against Engman was dismissed pursuant to a plea agreement with Polk County prosecutors. As part of that agreement, Engman pleaded guilty to a charge of speeding or failure to stop and was fined $20.

At a recent hearing dealing with Engman's request for unemployment benefits, Engman testified that he didn't believe he was drunk when he arrived at work. Asked how much alcohol he had consumed, he said had "no idea" but had stopped drinking a few hours before reporting for work.

"I started probably at 10 p.m., and I finished drinking at midnight or 1 a.m.," he testified.