James Gilbert
The Sun
YUMA, Ariz. — The 20-year-old Yuma man who was involved in a weekend automobile accident has died in a Phoenix hospital.
It has also been revealed that the accident victim, Jacob Schlamann, was presumed dead at the scene and left untreated for about an hour in the wreckage of the pickup he was driving.
“This shouldn’t have happened, but it did happen, and we want to know how it happened,” said Mike Erfert, spokesman for the Yuma Fire Department. “Our hearts and prayers go out to the Schlamann family and the rest of the people injured in the accident.”
Hospital spokeswoman Carmelle Malkovich confirmed Wednesday afternoon that Schlamann died late Tuesday night at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Phoenix from the injuries he sustained.
Erfert said an investigation is being conducted and the fire department is reviewing everything that happened during the incident.
“Every movement, every moment that was made during the time in question is being taken apart and analyzed,” Erfert said. “Exactly what did happen is the focus of the investigation.”
Erfert went on to say, “We are looking at whether this came about due to human factors, procedural factors, equipment factors or some other factor we don’t know. There were a lot of people on scene during the time in question.”
Initially Schlamann was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Erfert, and the wreckage of the vehicle was covered with a red tarp, which is the standard procedure when someone is killed.
Erfert did not specify how the paramedics checked Schlamann’s condition, but said they generally check for vital signs.
A medical examiner, who had been called to the scene, detected signs of life in Schlamann and firefighters extricated him from the vehicle, according to Erfert.
“The parents were aware of what happened,” Erfert said. “We want to know what happened just as much as anybody.”
Erfert added that the YFD has a reputation of quality service to the community and wants to maintain that reputation.
The accident occurred on Saturday afternoon and involved a Border Patrol vehicle and a 1997 Ford Ranger pickup truck.
The preliminary investigation indicated that the pickup, driven by Schlamann, was eastbound in 2000 block of West 1st Street when it crossed the center line, striking the Crown Victoria occupied by two El Centro Border Patrol agents.
Yuma police said the collision caused the Ford Ranger to roll over onto its roof in the 1900 block of 1st Street.
While Schlamann was left unattended in the vehicle, paramedics were treating the six other victims involved in the wreck.
Three other passengers in the pickup truck -- Andrew Montgomery, 19, Jonathan Martinez, 19 and Alex Palafox, 18 -- and the two Border Patrol agents were treated at YRMC Saturday and released.
Another passenger in the truck, 16-year-old Evander Johnson was later airlifted from YRMC to a Phoenix-area hospital, where he is listed in serious condition.
The resulting investigation closed 1st Street from 19th Avenue to 20th Avenue for several hours.