Kyle Lovern/WDN
Williamson firefighter Garrett Gregory is shown using the jaws of life to remove the door from this Mingo County Stat ambulance Saturday morning after the driver apparently passed out and crashed into several walls, fences, houses of West 4th Avenue, before coming to rest against this house.
Kyle Lovern/WDN
Williamson patrolman Jeff Taylor is shown at the scene of a terrible accident in Williamson on Saturday morning. An ambulance crashed into this house across the alley from the Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
Kyle Lovern/WDN
It is believed a Stat ambulance driver had a seizure while driving on Fourth Avenue and hit several walls, fences and houses. The vehicle knocked the roof off of this house across from the Catholic church.
Kyle Lovern/WDN
This appeared to be the first wall that the ambulance struck at house No. 132 on West Fourth Avenue in Williamson. the ambulance then struck a fence, shrubbery at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church and crossed the street hitting a wall at the Adam’s residence. It then knocked the porch roof on the adjacent home, crossed the street again, moving through the parking lot of the church and striking a house.
Julia Roberts Goad
Staff Writer
WILLIAMSON - A Saturday morning accident involving a STAT Ambulance is being attributed to a medical condition.
Patrolman Jeff Taylor with the Williamson Police Department said Chris Staggs of Lenore was traveling east on 4th Avenue near the Sacred Heart Catholic Church when he lost control, apparently due to a seizure.
The ambulance he was driving struck a wall on the street, then the steps of the church, then the awning of the Beltone hearing aid office on 4th Avenue.
The vehicle then crossed the street, coming to rest after it went through the parking lot of the church and crashed into a home on rear 5th Avenue, Taylor said.
Staggs was transported to Williamson Memorial Hospital. A fellow driver STAT employee, L.C. Blankenship, Jr., was also treated at WMH. Their conditions were unknown at press time.
The accident remains under investigation by the WPD.
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Your facts are wrong. Anyone who applies for a EMS job have to be qualified to work the job. We go thru numerous classes and training to be able to protect you and your loved ones in the time of need. From EMT training to driving training we receive it all. So before you get on here to bash our brother and talk about drugs and junk why don't you get your facts straight and know what your talking about. And as for the man you wanted to know if drugs were involved Gomer was more concerned about people he was helping than himself. Gomer was a partner of mine with STAT and I have to say if there was anyone in this world I could pick to work with I would have picked Gomer. Gomer will be missed very badly by everyone who knew him and you who didn't know him missed out on a great man. CHRIS "GOMER" STAGGS RIP BROTHER WE ALL MISS YOU KEEP US SAFE BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW YOUR WATCHING OVER US.
There are many different causes of seizures. I do not think it is unreasonable to ask a question. I do think an ambulance is far different from a car. I think it is appropriate to be concerned about the drivers of such vehicles. Are the drivers not pre-screened and pre-qualified?
I am a teacher and don't drive an Escalade. I do find your comments just a little strange. Very few people would make the assumption someone is a drug dealer on welfare in an Escalade. If you truly know of such people consider reporting them to the police. We all use the same highways.