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Police officer: Woman died after ambulance failed to show up

East Liverpool Police Department officers found a woman unresponsive in a black SUV; they ended up transporting her to the hospital after an ambulance no-show

By EMS1 Staff

EAST LIVERPOOL, Ohio — A woman died from a brain aneurysm after police officers tried to save her life when ambulances did not arrive on scene.

WKBN.com reported that East Liverpool Police Department officers found the woman unresponsive in a black SUV.

“She had like a deer-in-the-headlights look,” patrolman Jacob Talbott said. “She was staring off and had very labored breathing.”

Talbott called for an ambulance while they got the woman out of her car.

"[Ambulance Service Incorporated] originally committed a crew and told our dispatcher they had a crew in route,” he said. With no crew in sight, Talbott called dispatch to check on their status. The dispatcher told him the crew was not coming, nor were two other local ambulance companies.

“We’re just going to take her to the hospital ourselves,” Talbott said. “We didn’t have time to wait for an ambulance company out of Hancock County in West Virginia.”

Talbott put the woman in his cruiser, while another officer started CPR.

After they transported her, the woman was flown to another hospital, where she later died.

Talbott said it was unacceptable to not have an ambulance company respond, and wants answers.

“I’m not real happy that an ambulance service committed, and then five minutes later, they no longer have a crew available,” Talbott said. “And they didn’t even notify us. The reason we found out is our dispatcher called to check the time.”

Ambulance Service Incorporated did not comment on the incident.

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