# Teenagers and Speed



## ffemt8978 (Feb 9, 2005)

We were toned out recently for a single vehicle MVA.  I heard the PD officer screaming on his radio for an ambulance and for us to expidite.  I then heard him call for an ALS unit and place the helicopter on standby (couldn't fly due to snow).  Less than 5 seconds later, my pager goes off for an expidited response to single vehicle MVA with 3 unconscious and one ejection.

We go in route with a full crew within four minutes and arrive on scene within 10 (not bad for a volunteer department).  The car looks like it missed the curve and struck a phone pole in the middle of passenger side rear door.

Pt. #1 (driver): Leaning against phone pole with massive amounts of blood coming from his neck.  PD states he was ejected through the windshield, hit the pole, and bounced back into the car.  His feet were actually underneath the windshield wipers when the got to the vehicle.  We could actually see his carotid artery.  We later found out he had a broken neck, also.

Pt. #2 (front seat passenger): Minor injuries to his arm, released that night from the hospital.

Pt. #3 (driver side rear passenger): Unconscious on scene and vomiting blood.  Became responsive during transport.  Later found out she had a lacerated liver.

Pt. #4: (passenger side rear passenger): Sitting at the exact point of impact.  Had obvious deformity of hip/femur in right leg, right where they meet.  We were unable to even use a traction spling because of the location of the injury.  Also had a LOC on scene but was CAO during transport.

Everyone in the vehicle was under 18 years old, all had been drinking, and all had reportedly used drugs.  PD on scene stated they struck the phone pole at approximately 100 mph.  How do they know this?  They were in pursuit of the vehicle at the time.  This was the driver's third stolen vehicle pursuit in the past six months!  We ended up using all three of our ambulances for patient transport, and pulled two ALS units for three of our patients.  Our whole district was unprotected for approximately one hour until the first unit was able to return.

Oh yeah, none of them was wearing a seatbelt.


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## MedicPrincess (Feb 9, 2005)

Wow!  That really sucks.  Sounds like you guys did good though.

I want to ask a stupid question.  

At what point does PD say, Okay, this is to dangerous to continue?  I mean, really.  If all he did was steal the car, then why put the kids, PD's, general publics, and untimately the other responders lives in jeopardy.

You said, The Helio could not fly due to snow.  Well shouldn't it be to dangerous to continue a 100 MPH police chase in the snow?

Did he fire upon the PD?  Or Kill someone in order to steal the car?  Or was a just a stupid drunk/high kid that the PD let their crazy need to chase someone down get the best of them with.  If they know the kid, and it does sound like they do as this is not their first chase, then why wouldn't they call the chase as too dangerous and meet him at his house.

Ok, so that was more than one stupid question.

Y'all have a great day.


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## Jon (Feb 9, 2005)

To continue the questions:

Was it the thief's 3rd chase, or the PD officers?

We had an 18 y/o out my way, about 5 years ago, License revoked for way too many DUI's, mom and dad on vacation, and Son steals dad's old Cable Co. Bucket truck and takes it cruising down 25-35 MPH roads (REALLY hilly and winding) at an extreme rate of speed, drunk off his a**, and with a "friend" Person rolls the truck, ejects the passenger (severe injuries) and burst into flames, killing the driver on impact. My favorite was when the school said "he was a great kid, recoving from ETOH and Drug abuse, doing better" (Yeah, except for the whole REAL DRUNK, STEALING CARS, TRYING TO KILL A FRIEND)

Yeah....these calls are hard, and everyone will be second-guessing the chase for years. - Hindsight is 20/20



Jon


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## ffemt8978 (Feb 9, 2005)

To answer your questions:

The PD had only been chasing the guy for about a mile on a deserted county road.  He apparently tried to make a 90 degree left turn and missed.

The helo said they couldn't fly because of snow at the hospital they would have flown too.  The ambulances that went to the same hospital said there was no snow there, and there definately wasn't any snow where we were.

It was the suspect's third chase.  Forgot to mention that all four were bangers, which may have affected the PD's decision to chase.  From what I understand, the pursuit only lasted a minute or two before the crash.  Given the extent of the driver's injuries, I'm thinking that this will be his last pursuit.  I'm not even sure if he can still wiggle his toes.


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## Wingnut (Feb 9, 2005)

From what I understand the cops will call off the chase if it's a heavily populated area and too dangerous, but the risk of letting drunk/high people drive is just as dangerous as chasing them, it's a no-win situation.


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## Margaritaville (Feb 9, 2005)

As the Mom of two teenagers - one of which drives - I am saddened!!!!


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## ffemt8978 (Feb 10, 2005)

I just found out that there is even more to this story.  The following morning, when the father returned home from the hospital, he found that his house had been burglarized.  The burglars took some electronics, a shotgun, and ammunition and left a blood trail from where they cut their hand on a broken window.  While the investigating deputy is still on scene at the house, another deputy comes across a suspicious car with a bunch of electronics and ammunition in it.

The father identifies the property as his, so the deputies go to a house and interview the three people there, one of which has a fresh cut on his hand.  Turns out the one of them was the ex-boyfriend of the female patient, and they decided to burglarize her home knowing that her father was at the hospital visiting her.  All three confessed and were arrested.


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## EMTstudent (Feb 10, 2005)

Oh my.  

That story makes me want to cry.  I can't believe kids these days.  My oldest is my step-daughter and she's 13. She moved in with us about 6 months ago, and we're struggling to keep her "under control".  She IS doing much better, but it's taking alot of time.  We got her medical help (psychiatrist) and they put her on some medications (turns out she's severely bi-polar).

I feel for the parents of those teenagers.  I hope they can all recover, in some way.


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## coloradoemt (Feb 10, 2005)

My oldest daughter is 16. I only give her enough rope to hang herself. When she does I take the rope away and we start over. Fortunately even though she has gotten into trouble on occasion I was able to real her in and put a stop to it. Unfortunately the parents of the kids she was with did not do the same and keep getting into trouble. No matter what I believe its up to the parents to set limits stick to them and spend time knwing who their kids are in order to keep stuff like this from happening.

Jumping off of my soap box now!!


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## EMTstudent (Feb 10, 2005)

I agree.  We're in the same situation.  Fortunately for us, our daughter trusts us enough to tell us when she's done something wrong.  She know's she will get punished for it, but she does try to stay out of trouble.

Anyways, talk to you all later. 

Off to bed.


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## Wingnut (Feb 10, 2005)

I'm with you colorado, ours are only 2 & 4 , but my husband and I are already plotting thier demise


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## PArescueEMT (Feb 11, 2005)

there is one word that sums up the actions of these kids...



IDIOTS!!!


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## coloradoemt (Feb 11, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Wingnut_@Feb 10 2005, 10:13 PM
> * I'm with you colorado, ours are only 2 & 4 , but my husband and I are already plotting thier demise   *


 Good deal. But have alternate routes so you can always plan A them and when they are not ready for it, hit them with plan B!!  :lol:


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## Wingnut (Feb 11, 2005)

Good point! I'll keep that in mind!!


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## Margaritaville (Feb 13, 2005)

Colorado,

I feel for you. My oldest is a 16 year old boy! I wouldn't trade you, but boy there are some days when I wonder about his actions.

You know in the Bible it says "go forth and bear fruit".  I think I did. 2 of them - fruit one and fruit two!!!

Now I am off my soapbox! I can't wait till they are grown and have kids so I can say "see where all my gray hair came from"!


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## CodeSurfer (Feb 13, 2005)

I've got a nice tale of teenage stupidity... I am brand new to this (just took the national registry for EMT-B yesterday)  I was in the ED doing my 8 hour clinical when the medics told us to prepare for a 13 yo female OD about 15 minutes before I was scheduled to take off.  I decided to stick around since the day so far had been pretty boring. She turned out to have OD'ed on tequila (apparently 2 liters) and fallen into a river.  She was talking to us but she obviously didnt know what was going on. She was cussing so loud that everyone in the ED was staring at her, and she was trauma naked.  I ended up having to sit on her legs to keep her from hurting the nurse starting her IV and cath. Security came in and got her in 4 points before I left. Eventually we got her GI tube in and pumped her stomach which was not only full of alcohol, but twigs and sand she had swallowed in the river. The ED doc made the comment that he could start a nice fish tank with what we pumped out of her.  The worst part was that throughout all of this she kept trying to spit blood on us, and her parents kept trying to come in the room.


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## coloradoemt (Feb 14, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Margaritaville_@Feb 13 2005, 05:21 PM
> * Colorado,
> 
> I feel for you. My oldest is a 16 year old boy! I wouldn't trade you, but boy there are some days when I wonder about his actions.
> ...


 Thats funny!! I have three fruits.   My oldest has lost a few friends due to drinking and driving. All of them were passengers. She sees the affect picking up dead, dying, injured kids has on me. Usually she calls us when she gets in a situation she is uncomfortable with, we go get her. What concerns me is that one time she does not.


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