Portland injury attorney

Speeding Car Crashes into Ambulance, Woman Killed

01/28/11

Date: January 20, 2011
Location: East Burnside St. at 102nd Ave, Portland
Name: Driver unidentified, Wesley Poston, Melyssa Marchesi, Sean Shanahan

An unidentified woman driver died when her speeding vehicle slammed into a parked ambulance in East Portland.

According to a report from EMS1.com, an AMR ambulance was parked in the westbound lane of East Burnside Street with its lights flashing after responding to an unrelated medical call. Wesley Poston, age 51, had just been loaded on a stretcher into the ambulance by two paramedics. Paramedic Sean Shanahan was outside closing the rear doors and Paramedic Melyssa Marchesi was inside.

Police investigators spoke to an off-duty police sergeant who witnessed a Kia SUV traveling at speeds approaching 80mph westbound on Burnside slam into the back of the ambulance. The impact moved the ambulance 20 feet.

Poston was thrown from the ambulance. Rescuers transported Poston and Marchesi to the hospital but neither they nor Shanahan were seriously injured.

Police said that the woman driver, age 34, was killed on impact. Her name has not been released pending notification of next of kin. It is unknown whether drugs or alcohol played any part in the crash. Anyone who witnessed the crash or the Kia driving before the crash is asked to call Officer Chris Johnson at 503-823-2213.

Our thoughts and prayers are with this woman’s friends and family, who we know, are just trying to come to terms with her tragic and premature death. We hope that they will get the support and help they need in the days ahead. We also hope that the two paramedics and the individual being prepped for transport in the ambulance will fully recover from this experience, and we’re sure that they are all feeling lucky to be alive, since this could easily have been a multiple fatality.

The Oregon Department of Transportation Safety reports that in 2008 alone, speed-related car accidents killed 216 Oregonians. That number far exceeds the amount of drunk driving fatalities! But, as always, law enforcement is in full effect, and the Oregon State Police are continually looking for ways to both protect the innocent and punish those who endanger lives. If caught, you could lose your license, receive an expensive ticket, or go to jail. Slow down, it could save lives. If you’ve already been in an accident and want to know what to do next, get our free book “7 Common Mistakes That Can Wreck Your Oregon Accident Case”.