Patient Dies after Illinois Ambulance Crashes
The driver of the vehicle that struck the ambulance has been charged with aggravated driving under the influence.
JOLIET, Ill. --
A 46-year-old patient died and two drivers face aggravated DUI charges after an ambulance crash early Saturday in southwest suburban Joliet, police said.
With sirens blaring and lights flashing, a Joliet Fire Department ambulance was traveling eastbound through the intersection of Jackson and Collins streets at about 12:10 a.m. when it was struck by a van heading southbound through the intersection, according to Joliet police Lt. Gordon Corp.
The ambulance had the green light, police said, and the van disregarded the traffic signal. The impact of the crash knocked the ambulance on its side and into two other vehicles.
David T. Powers, a Joliet man who was being rushed to Silver Cross Hospital with heart problems, was pronounced dead at the hospital at 12:46 a.m., according to the Will County Coroner's office. It remains unknown if he died as a result of injuries from the collision or because of his original condition he was being transported for. An autopsy is scheduled for Sunday, according to the coroner's office.
Five other people were also injured, including three of the ambulance crew who have been treated and since released.
"The three firefighters in the ambulance that were taking the patient to Silver Cross Hospital their first response was -- after discombobulating themselves from all of the being turned up-side-down and on their side and contending with their injuries -- was the treatment of their patient," said Joliet police Capt. Jim Albritton.
The driver of the van has been charged with an aggravated DUI as of 1:30 p.m., but his name, age and address were not made immediately available, according to a Joliet police sergeant.
In addition to the driver of the offending vehicle, Eric Perry, 40, of Seattle, Wash., was charged with aggravated driving under the influence, police said. Perry was driving one of the vehicles that was struck by the ambulance after the initial impact, and police said alcohol was recovered that had apparently been thrown from Perry's vehicle.
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