By Elizabeth Evans
The York Dispatch
Copyright 2007 York Newspapers, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
WEST MANCHESTER TOWNSHIP, Penn. — No charges will be filed in the case of a two-vehicle crash involving a Biglerville ambulance in which a Gettysburg woman was riding and later pronounced dead.
The patient, Fawn Sova, 42, did not die in the Jan. 23 crash at Routes 30 and 616 in West Manchester Township, the York County Coroner’s Office determined in April; rather, she died of heart disease.
Wednesday, West Manchester Township Police announced that neither criminal charges nor summary traffic citations are warranted against ambulance driver John Schaffner, 47, of Gettysburg, or driver Keith Langford, 43, of Glen Rock.
A Biglerville Fire Co. ambulance was rushing Sova from Gettysburg Hospital to York Hospital around 9:45 a.m. when it collided with a car, police said. The ambulance did not have the green light, but did have its emergency lights and siren activated, police have said.
Collision: In the intersection, the eastbound ambulance collided with Langford’s northbound Chevrolet Impala SS, causing minor injuries to Langford and several ambulance crew members, police said.
York County Deputy Coroner Claude Stabley has said Sova was being transported for surgery after she suffered a ruptured aorta during a cardiac procedure at Gettysburg Hospital. She was pronounced dead by Stabley at the scene of the crash.
Police said they reviewed the case with senior York County prosecutor Tim Barker and determined charges weren’t appropriate.
Truck blocked view: “Both Mr. Schaffner and Mr. Langford believed that they safely had the right-of-way through the intersection,” a news release states. “Unfortunately, a truck obstructed the ability of Mr. Schaffner and Mr. Langford to see each other.”
Langford believed he could proceed because he had the green light, and Schaffner thought all cross traffic was stopped and he could safely go through the intersection, police said.
“Moreover, Mr. Schaffner (was) making this decision under the most time sensitive situation imaginable in (an) attempt to save Ms. Sova’s life,” the release states.
The actions of Schaffner and Langford “were not unreasonable considering the circumstances,” according to the release.