A 64-YR.-OLD TAMPA, FLORIDA, MAN DIED THIS MORNING after an ambulance crashed head-on into his pickup truck Monday night.  The man was carrying his two grandsons home from a Boy Scout meeting and had stopped for some milkshakes at a fastfood restaurant.  As they were continuing their journey home, an AMR emergency ambulance was approaching in the opposite direction.  When the ambulance came upon a traffic backup, the driver noticed it too late and, jamming on the brakes, he pulled into the oncoming lanes to avoid rear-ending the stopped cars.

Unfortunately, Jerry Hager’s truck was in the lane and the heavy collision smashed the dashboard into his legs, pinning him in the truck.  Tampa Fire Rescue responded and extricated him  with two crushed legs.  At the time, he was conscious and talking and when he was taken to the hospital he appeared to be in a non-life threatening condition.  But less than nine hours later he died in the hospital.  His two grandsons, ages 11 and 13 are being treated for broken bones.

St. Petersburg Times

Tampa Fire Rescue said that the AMR ambulance was responding to a call at the time, but the police have not confirmed whether the ambulance was running lights and siren or not.  The ambulance driver has been cited for careless driving.

The St. Petersburg Times has the complete STORY.

Tampa Fire Rescue photo