By Nick Ferraro
The St. Paul Pioneer Press
ST. PAUL, Minn. — The 79-year-old woman who was struck and killed by an ambulance Saturday has been identified as Margaret A. Kuehn, of St. Paul.
Kuehn died after being hit by a St. Paul Fire Department ambulance that was backing down an alley between Randolph and James avenues just after 6 p.m., police said Sunday.
The ambulance had entered the area after an elderly woman lost control of her car in a Walgreens store parking lot, broke through a privacy fence, went over a retaining wall and into the alley.
Police spokesman Sgt. Paul Schnell said that while the driver’s injuries were being assessed, the ambulance, which was first sent to the pharmacy parking lot, was driven to the alley by a St. Paul firefighter to allow paramedics easier access to their equipment. As the ambulance driver was backing the vehicle toward the crash, Kuehn walked into the alley and was struck.
Kuehn, a James Avenue resident, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the crashed car did not require transportation to the hospital, Schnell said.
The St. Paul police traffic and accident unit is investigating the fatal accident.
Schnell said the ambulance has been taken out of service for inspection, which is standard procedure for vehicles involved in fatal crashes. In addition, the St. Paul Fire Department will perform a separate internal investigation and review of safety procedures and protocols.
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