By EMS1 Staff
CHICAGO — A retired paramedic and his wife were killed Sunday after their vehicle was struck by a suspected drunk driver.
WGNTV reported that retired Chicago Fire Department Ambulance Commander Richard Biehl and his wife Susan were driving home from a casino when they were struck head-on by a truck.
“They knew who he was. They were trying to work as hard as they normally do on patients to save him,” Biehl’s son, William, said about the EMS providers who responded to the crash.
Police said the man driving the truck is suspected to have been intoxicated, and he hit another vehicle before crashing into Biehl’s truck. He is in critical condition, and police said they plan to file charges against him.
Paramedics said Richard was talking to paramedics while being transported to the hospital, but later died, and his wife was pronounced dead at the hospital.
William urged the public to use the numerous alternatives to drinking and driving so that incidents like this don’t happen.
“You’ve got taxi cabs, you’ve got Uber. You’ve got friends you can call, family you can call to come pick you up where ever you’re at,” William said. “They don’t understand how big of a family, how much love is torn apart just by drinking and driving.”
Biehl was a 30-year veteran of the Chicago Fire Department. He retired about two years ago.
“It was his passion. He liked saving people’s lives, making a difference as much as he could,” William said. “No matter what color, what race or whatever, or what religion, they try their hardest to make sure you make it to the hospital to live another day.”
https://twitter.com/CFDMedia/status/1023582010542096384