By Jeff Overley
The Orange County Register
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. — A “runaway gurney” rolled away from the scene of a Newport Beach traffic accident and crashed into a car parked nearby, according to a new legal claim that seeks thousands of dollars in compensation.
Marie J. Witkay of Anaheim Hills, in an interview, said her white Honda Civic was parked outside her workplace on Old Newport Boulevard when the accident took place.
A stretcher on wheels apparently got away from paramedics, rolled down a hill and “attacked my car,” Witkay said, laughing.
Witkay says she didn’t witness the incident but that a police officer located her and explained what occurred.
“From what I was told ... it rolled down the hill, hit the rear end of my car, and then spun around and hit the passenger side,” she said.
Extensive scratches to the Civic resulted, she said; two body shop estimates submitted with the legal claim put repairs at slightly more than $2,500.
Witkay also is asking city officials to pay for a rental car while her Civic is in the shop; an estimate from Enterprise puts the cost of a 10-day rental at about $750.
In the car wreck, it’s not clear exactly what injuries resulted; police Lt. Craig Fox could say only that two people complained of head pain and that one of them suffered a broken collarbone.
The claim, which was filed last month, is a required precursor to a lawsuit, but litigation might not be needed. City officials haven’t formally responded to the claim, and declined to comment, but Witkay said they’ve been “nothing but helpful and professional” and that she is confident they’ll cover her bills.
All in all, it was just an inconvenience for Witkay, who figures things could have been worse. “Thank God,” she said, “the person in the accident wasn’t on the gurney.”
Copyright 2009 Orange County Register
All Rights Reserved