By Sandra Tan
The Buffalo News
BUFFALO, N.Y. — A boy being transported by ambulance to Women & Children’s Hospital for breathing problems late last Thursday night died at the hospital after the ambulance he was in was struck by another car and flipped over.
Police responded to a call of a child not breathing and was being transported to Women’s & Children’s Hospital at about 11:45 p.m. Thursday, said Buffalo Police spokesman Michael DeGeorge.
The unidentified boy, age 7 or 8, was in the ambulance at the intersection of Ashland Avenue and Bryant Street when a driver traveling the wrong way on Ashland Avenue struck the Rural/Metro Medical Services ambulance, causing the ambulance to flip over, DeGeorge said.
After the crash, he said, emergency personnel transferred the boy to a police vehicle, where he was driven a short distance to Women & Children’s Hospital. He died overnight, DeGeorge said.
The initial medical examiner’s autopsy, performed over the weekend, deferred on listing a specific cause of death pending further investigation, DeGeorge said.
At least five other adults were injured in the accident and were reportedly treated in Erie County Medical Center and released. DeGeorge clarified information about the child patient Wednesday. On Friday. The Buffalo News had been provided information about the accident that didn’t mention him. The others injured include other ambulance personnel, a firefighter and possibly the driver of the other vehicle, DeGeorge said.
The Buffalo driver, Jeremy Parrilla, 25, struck a parked vehicle in addition to the ambulance. He attempted to flee but was caught by police, DeGeorge said. Parrilla was charged with driving under the influence, leaving the scene of an injury accident and obstruction of governmental administration.
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©2014 The Buffalo News (Buffalo, N.Y.)