By Andrew McIntosh
Sacramento Bee
Copyright 2008 The Sacramento Bee

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A Sacramento Superior Court judge has tossed out a suit filed by a former paramedic who accused the California Emergency Medical Services Authority of disclosing confidential information about his health.

Judge Rudolph Loncke ruled that because Michael Parker filed his initial claim of medical privacy breach with the wrong state agency, his $500,000 civil complaint can't proceed in court.

Parker, formerly with Reach Air Ambulance, surrendered his license to state emergency medical authorities in 2007 and sought treatment after he stole narcotics intended for accident victims.

State officials praised Parker for voluntarily getting help, saying he had succumbed to narcotics after years of grueling and stressful work that saw him witness horrific crashes, leaving him with post traumatic stress disorder.

Parker's attorney, Edward Brenner, alleged that disclosure – reported in The Bee's series about substance-abusing paramedics – violated his right to medical privacy. He said Parker is not appealing the ruling and declined to comment.