At least it wasn't a Mexican this time

[Dustdevil]

http://lapdblog.typepad.com/lapd_blog/2009...ver-sought.html

April 02, 2009

Hit & Run Ambulance Driver Sought

Los Angeles: The Los Angeles Police Department is seeking the public’s help in identifying a hit-and-run driver who struck a pedestrian and left the scene.

On March 26, 2009, early in the morning, a fatal traffic accident occurred in the 1600 block of N. Vermont Avenue.

A witness described David Ronald Bork, as a 45-year-old resident of Los Angeles who was sleeping in the rear driveway of a business when a possible private ambulance struck him. The unknown private ambulance driver, along with a passenger, left the scene of the accident without identifying themselves or rendering aid to Bork.

Bork received extensive head trauma and was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.

Los Angeles Police Department Central Traffic Division detectives are handling the investigation. Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to contact Detective M. Kaden at 213-972-1853. During off-hours, calls may be directed to a 24-hour, toll-free number at 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (527-3247). Callers may also text “Crimes” with a cell phone or log on to www.lapdonline.org and click on Web tips. When using a cell phone, all messages should begin with “LAPD.” Tipsters may remain anonymous.

[Katiebug]

Holy crap. They hit someone with an ambulance and didn't even stop to treat him. There's something else to make us look good, huh?

Thing is, the driver's partner is just as guilty.

[Dustdevil]

I'm not normally known for my benevolence, but I'm inclined to give them the benefit of a doubt on this one.

3 am. Dark alley. Driver distracted by his cellphone. Passenger asleep. You feel a brief bump under your ambulance, but no damage to the vehicle. Do you stop in a dark alley in a bad neighbourhood at 3am to go see what it was? Or do you, like most people, just keep on going and wondering, "WTF was that?" Most people would simply assume it was either trash or, at worst, a dog, not a grown man sleeping in the middle of the road. There is nothing criminal about that.

I've been to enough auto-peds where drivers honestly had no idea that they had run over a human body to know it is not an unusual occurrence.

[Tmurphy]

I agree with Dust, the driver may honestly not have known.

[robert gift]

I don't blame them - if they did not know their ambulance injured the guy.

Did they know and get out and check the guy?

Poor guy set himself up for such a mishap.

Years ago I was driving a friend's car through an alley.

What appeared to be litter and debris was a sleeping intoxicated man.

It would have been so easy to have run over the guy, thinking he was loose paper.

We got the Darwin Award contender to move next to the fence.

[Jeepluv77]

http://lapdblog.typepad.com/lapd_blog/2009...ver-sought.html

April 02, 2009

Hit & Run Ambulance Driver Sought

Los Angeles: The Los Angeles Police Department is seeking the public's help in identifying a hit-and-run driver who struck a pedestrian and left the scene.

On March 26, 2009, early in the morning, a fatal traffic accident occurred in the 1600 block of N. Vermont Avenue.

A witness described David Ronald Bork, as a 45-year-old resident of Los Angeles who was sleeping in the rear driveway of a business when

a possible private ambulance struck him. The unknown private ambulance driver, along with a passenger, left the scene of the accident without identifying themselves or rendering aid to Bork.

Bork received extensive head trauma and was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.

Los Angeles Police Department Central Traffic Division detectives are handling the investigation. Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to contact Detective M. Kaden at 213-972-1853. During off-hours, calls may be directed to a 24-hour, toll-free number at 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (527-3247). Callers may also text "Crimes" with a cell phone or log on to www.lapdonline.org and click on Web tips. When using a cell phone, all messages should begin with "LAPD." Tipsters may remain anonymous.

I believe, I think, that they honestly may not have known it was a person they hit. Might have thought it was a pothole, sewer cap not countersunk, speedbump, uneven concrete, etc. However, I'm not sure because there's really not much info. How is it known that there was a passenger, but not what company the ambulance was with? Just the angle? Also, what were they doing in the rear driveway of a business at 3a.m. since they apparently didn't get out or they probably would have noticed the guy. Or did they back in on a call, guy was under the truck unconsious, no one saw him, drove off. But this couldn't be the case or it would be on record somewhere who responded to that location. Something just isn't adding up for me. So I don't believe it was intentional to leave the guy, but who knows. Also, why does it say "possible private ambulance" followed immediately by "private ambulance driver"? How do we know the "witness" isn't the perp and just decided to blame the ambulance he saw taking a shortcut down a back alley rather than risk being charged themselves? I don't like the holes in this story.

[Katiebug]

All said is true. I admit that regretably I jumped to a conclusion without all the information. That's not like me either.

Hopefully we will get a follow up to the story.

[robert gift]

Also, if they knew, I cannot imagine that they would not treat and transport.

Too little information.

Do any ambulances there have GPS which reports the vehicle's location?