1:00 P.M. WEDNESDAY UPDATE:
Northeast Georgia Health System issued a statement Wednesday morning in response to the weekend accident involving one of its ambulances that took the life of a Monroe man and seriously injured his grandson.
The full, unedited statement follows:
“Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS) currently operates Barrow County EMS. Two people, a driver and a paramedic, were in the ambulance at the time of the accident. The ambulance was not transporting a patient. The driver and the paramedic were evaluated but had no serious injuries.
Our hearts go out to everyone involved in the accident and their loved ones. We are fully cooperating with the appropriate authorities as the investigation continues, and providing mental and emotional support to staff members who have been impacted.”
EARLIER STORY. POSTED 10:00 P.M. TUESDAY:
A man who was helping his grandson with his disabled card on a road in Oconee County was killed when the car was struck by a Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) ambulance.
The state patrol says the grandson and his grandfather were both trapped underneath the ambulance. The accident happened about 10:00 Sunday night.
John Martin of Monroe died at the scene. The younger victim, student at Winder-Barrow High School, was taken to Arthur Blank Children’s Hospital in Atlanta, where he was in stable condition at last report.
Reached late Tuesday afternoon for comment, a spokesman for the medical center said: “I’m checking on this for you, but likely won’t have any answers until tomorrow morning.”