The Bradenton Herald
Copyright 2007 The Bradenton Herald
BRADENTON, Fla. — The driver of a pickup that swerved into the path of an ambulance Monday, causing the ambulance to flip over, told authorities he heard the ambulance’s sirens but did not see the vehicle, a Florida Highway Patrol report states.
According to the FHP, the accident occurred shortly before 3 p.m., when a 2003 Nissan pickup driven by Hiep Truong, 46, of Bradenton, swerved into the path of an ambulance driven by Manatee County paramedic Paul DiCicco, who was responding to a respiratory emergency with emergency medical technician Angela Scott.
The ambulance was headed north where U.S. 41 and U.S. Business 41 merge south of U.S. 19. Truong told the FHP the ambulance was in his blind spot. He said he tried to move to the left side of the road because there was traffic on his right-hand side, but that put him in the ambulance’s path.
DiCicco swerved farther to the left to avoid Truong’s pickup, then flipped over, according to the report.
Another ambulance was dispatched to treat DiCicco and Scott, while a third was sent to the original call.
DiCicco and Scott were treated at Manatee Memorial Hospital. Their conditions were unavailable Tuesday. Truong and his passenger were uninjured. No charges have been filed in the case, the FHP reported.