'Please drive carefully': Bell Ambulance responds to video of MCTS bus crash that injured medics
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Sounding the alarm for drivers to slow down around emergency vehicles after video released shows a county bus crashing into a parked ambulance.
A Bell spokesman says even with video from inside the bus, it's hard to tell what the MCTS driver was doing just before the December crash. The driver is wearing dark sunglasses, so questions remain.
MCTS released the tape showing multiple angles, hard to watch. Even the flashing lights on the ambulance at 54th and Villard aren't enough to keep the driver from crossing a bike lane and then striking the ambulance in a parking lane.
"It was shocking to watch it again, I'll tell ya that," said Chris Anderson, Bell Ambulance director of operations.
In the back of the ambulance were two medics and a patient.
"I don't know how else to say it other than we are begging the public to please drive carefully," Anderson said. "We all know that reckless driving is an issue."
But what led the county bus driver to plow into the back of the ambulance, knocking it on its side and into a telephone pole remains a mystery. MCTS released this statement:
"Since the incident, the driver has been assigned to administrative duties. We have no evidence that our driver was impaired in any way."
One medic returned to work rather quickly. The other, who had a traumatic brain injury, has been through months of physical and occupational therapy.
"But he went from being in bed for three weeks to he's now walking without any assistance and he is actually able to start driving again," said Anderson.
Anderson said his employee wants to return to work.
"He's very strong, very tough, and he told us right away, I'm gonna be okay and I'm gonna come back to work. There's always some doubt and worry in your mind, but he proved himself right," Anderson said.
Milwaukee police say the investigation is not complete and will be referred to the district attorney's office for review once it is.