Serious Ohio Crash Leaves Ambulance Driver Dead, Others Injured

Stock photo of police tape. (Carl Ballou/Shutterstock)

A severe car crash on Saturday, Oct. 14, left an emergency medical technician dead and another injured.

Their ambulance was hit by another vehicle in Ridgeway, Ohio, The Courier reported. Krista McDonald was driving an ambulance for the Southeast Hardin Ambulance District when a vehicle failed to yield.

The vehicle slammed into the ambulance, ejecting McDonald and EMT Peggy Eastman. McDonald was pronounced dead at the scene, said the local Hardin County Sheriff’s Office.

Eastman and a passenger of the other car, driven by Rachael Willeke, were taken to Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center with life-threatening injuries.

Volunteer EMT Krista McDonald died in the crash. (Photo/Bellefontaine Police Dept)

No patients were reported in the ambulance.

Several other people were hospitalized in the crash, LimaOhio.com reported.

Ohio State Route 273 and State Route 292, where the crash occurred. (Google Street View)

“The Bellefontaine Police Department suffered a tragic loss,” Chief Brandon Standley of the Bellefontaine Police Department told the website. “Dispatcher McDonald volunteered for years as a paramedic and enjoyed her time helping others. Krista was an extremely talented, hard-working and dedicated public servant who gave her life doing what she loved to do. Krista will be sadly missed by her BPD family. The members of our agency send our condolences to Krista’s family and friends through this difficult time.”

The ambulance was returning to its base after responding to an accident earlier in the evening, it was reported.

The crash is under investigation by the Hardin County Sheriff’s Office, 10TV reported.

A severe car crash left an emergency medical technician dead and injured another EMT over the weekend. (Google Maps)