CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Cleveland County Paramedic Ashley Moore, 37, died July 6 after an alleged impaired driver struck her ambulance at high speed in Gaston County.
The crash brought back painful memories for Mecklenburg EMS EMT Gabriel Smith, who survived a similar collision in 2023, WSOC reported.
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Smith was treating a patient when a car traveling about 100 mph struck his ambulance in May 2023. He suffered a concussion and other injuries.
He said the crash reinforced the need for better ways to protect EMS crews, noting that providers often cannot remain buckled in because they must move around the ambulance to care for patients.
“There is a lot of work to be done,” Smith said. “I think that we could do more research into what could make the trucks safer, especially during transport, in a collision.”