Duty Death: Sarah Kaderli - [Houston]
End of Service: 08/01/2022
By Leila Merrill
HOUSTON — A paramedic who was killed Saturday in an ambulance collision with an SUV has been identified as Sarah Kaderli, 31, KTRK reported Wednesday.
A suspected wrong-way driver on Westpark Tollway crashed into the private ambulance Kaderli was working in.
Surveillance footage shows a car speeding past a bus then smashing into the ambulance.
One person from each vehicle was killed during the crash, while one person remains in critical condition. The fourth person involved in the incident was released from the hospital to recover at home, according to the news report.
Kaderli’s employer, City Ambulance Service, said in a Facebook post that her partner, Maurice Ruth, is recovering.
“Our hearts hurt so bad for you and your family. We are praying for comfort and strength for your family, your loved ones, and everyone else,” the organization’s statement read.
Kaderli’s parents, who lost their son and Kaderli’s older brother in a car wreck 23 years ago, said their daughter lived and worked in Houston as a paramedic because she loved helping people. In a interview with KTRK, Kaderli’s father, Steven, said the couple has chosen to forgive the person who crashed into the rig their daughter was working in.
“Something in their life wasn’t right, and that’s what created the situation,” he said. “We have forgiveness in our hearts toward them.”
Funeral arrangements for Kaderli are set for Friday, and an investigation into the crash is ongoing.
According to ABC 13, five people have been killed in wrong-way crashes on Westpark Tollway since last summer.
https://twitter.com/abc13houston/status/1481375477675839494