By Brian Rokos
The Press-Enterprise
RIVERSIDE COUNTY, Calif. — An ambulance attendant from Wildomar who in separate crimes sexually assaulted a 16-year-old girl and a woman who were strapped down as they were being transported has been sentenced to two years in prison and next must answer to a lawsuit.
[PREVIOUSLY: Calif. EMS provider arrested, accused of sexually assaulting teen patient]
Jason Dean Anderson, 24, in a deal with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual battery on a restrained person for the purpose of arousal. In exchange, the DA’s Office agreed on a two-year sentence for convictions that could have imprisoned Anderson for eight years.
Superior Court Judge John Monterosso, at the sentencing hearing Thursday at Southwest Justice Center in French Valley, also ordered Anderson to register as a sex offender. That prohibits Anderson from working around children and limits where he can go.
Anderson was arrested on March 25, 2022, after his employer, American Medical Response, learned of the allegations and reported them to the Sheriff’s Department.
The lawsuit filed by attorney Daniel M. Gilleon in Superior Court in Los Angeles County on March 8, 2024, names Anderson, drivers Shaivam Sharma and Eric Leahy and AMR as defendants.
On March 18, 2022, Anderson was riding in the back of the ambulance with the 16-year-old, who was being driven from Temecula Valley Hospital to a mental health facility in Torrance. She was suicidal, was under the influence of marijuana, and her arms and legs were strapped to the gurney, the lawsuit says.
Sharma heard the sound of the straps being removed and looked into the back, where he saw the girl’s hand on Anderson’s lap and the pair kissing. Sharma also noticed that Anderson’s pants were down, the lawsuit says. The document goes on to describe sexual activity instigated by Anderson.
Sharma reported what he saw to his supervisor the next day. AMR didn’t notify the Sheriff’s Department until six days later, the lawsuit states.
Sharma was not charged with any crime.
The lawsuit says two weeks earlier, Anderson had sexually assaulted an adult female passenger from Lake Elsinore who was being transported to a mental health facility in Riverside. Leahy, the driver, immediately reported Anderson to a supervisor, but AMR failed to call authorities or discipline Anderson, which allowed him to assault the 16-year-old girl two weeks later, the suit says.
Leahy was not charged with any crime.
Gilleon said AMR did not train its employees to promptly report misconduct or on boundaries with patients.
“A case as egregious as this can do more than simply achieve justice for the individual victim,” Gilleon said. “A case like this can help make changes that will benefit the community. For a company as large as AMR that provides ambulance services globally, we’re talking about communities all over the world that can learn a valuable lesson, which is not to blindly trust ambulance personnel.”
AMR declined to comment on the lawsuit. A spokesperson did email a statement about Anderson’s actions.
“AMR has considerable empathy for the victims of Jason Anderson . His criminal conduct was well outside the course and scope of his employment and training. Further, Anderson’s conduct was a betrayal of the trust and confidence that our community places in our healthcare professionals,” the statement said in part.
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