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Man charged with DUI in head-on ambulance crash

Two paramedics were injured in the collision; the ambulance was not transporting a patient at the time

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Paramedic Tessie Odom Smith

Photo courtesy GoFundMe page

FLORENCE, S.C. — A man has been charged with DUI after crashing head-on into an ambulance Wednesday morning.

SCnow.com reported Jody Lynn Heglar was driving his pickup truck over a bridge when he crossed a lane and ran head-on into a Florence County (S.C.) EMS ambulance that was responding to a call.

Two paramedics and the driver were injured in the collision. Paramedic Tessie Odom Smith had to be extricated from the ambulance and suffered serious and potentially life-threatening injuries. A GoFundMe page has been set up to help her family with expenses and medical bills.

The driver and the second paramedic on board had non-life threatening injuries. All three were transported to the hospital.

The ambulance did not have a patient on board at the time of the crash.

Heglar was transported to a detention center after being treated and released from the hospital. He was also charged with driving on a suspended license.