A woman was killed about 7:00 a.m. Monday morning September 3, 2018, when she exited the ambulance that was transporting her from Valley Care health care facility to San Leandro Medical Center, according to Pleasanton police Lt. Erik Silacci.
The fatal pedestrian incident occurred on the connector ramp between two major Interstates 680 and 580 in the East Bay.
The victim was patient on psychiatric detention and on a transport call. Paramedics explained that the patient became agitated, escaped her restraints and exited the long doors of the ambulance.
“The patient was being transported the patient got out of the ambulance,” said California Highway Patrol Officer Josh Roberts, “And was walking in the traffic lanes.”
Pleasanton police say the same woman was the same woman they detained early Monday morning for reckless driving and hitting a pedestrian and several cars in the area of 5300 Case Avenue in Pleasonton.
The woman was not arrested, despite having to be restrained and tasered by Pleasanton police. Instead, she was placed on a psychiatric detainer and transported to Valley Care in Livermore, California near Pleasonton.
Barry Sutherland, a co-owner of NorCal Ambulance told ABC7 News KGO-TV in San Francisco that the patient was secured with several restraints — seat belts basically — when she became agitated and unhooked the belts on westbound Interstate 580.
“As the driver was pulling the ambulance over on the freeway safely,” Sutherland told ABC7 News, “The patient got out of all the restraints, overcame and pushed the attendant in the back of the ambulance out of the way, and went and opened the locked doors of the ambulance and exited.”
According to the California Highway Patrol CHP, two cars managed to swerve and miss the woman, who appeared to be trying to jump in front of traffic before she was struck by a third vehicle.
“The girl ran out this way and she ran right in front of my truck,” said one driver.
The co-owner of the ambulance company told us his EMT’s followed proper procedures in their use of safety belts for the patient.
“And if there’s anything we can do to improve our practices we will,” said Sutherland, “But at this point our crew worked very hard. We’re very proud of them for what they did and they’re very distraught over the situation understandably.”
The California Highway Patrol is investigating the incident. Initially the Alameda County Coroner’s office did not release the name of the victim.
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