Daily Press
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — A Newport News firefighter-medic was injured after the medic unit the person was riding in was struck by another vehicle Saturday evening, police said.
The incident happened just after 7:30 p.m. in the area of 39th Street and Roanoke Avenue, where the unit carrying a patient was traveling with its emergency equipment on, said Newport News Police Department spokesman Lou Thurston.
That equipment includes a device that changes the traffic signal to green for the medic unit and red for signals in all other directions. Thurston said.
The driver of the other vehicle, however, continued through a red light and hit the side of the unit, he said.
The firefighter-medic was taken to a local hospital to be treated for injuries that were not considered serious, and the patient was not hurt in the accident, Thurston said.
Police detained and interviewed a suspected driver, who police said initially fled the scene and was apprehended, was released “pending further investigation,” Thurston said. Investigators will discuss with the Commonwealth’s Attorney about whether charges will be filed.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP.
———
©2014 the Daily Press (Newport News, Va.)