OWI and an EMT-B student

[soccergirl47546]

I am new hear and needing some advice. I am an EMT-B student, and recently a fellow classmate was kicked out of class for being arrested for an OWI. He received 2 A misdemeanors. He was wondering in Indiana if they can do this and if there is any way to fight it. He has never been in trouble before and the arrest came from taking a prescription medication and a tranquilizer which caused him to have a seizure while driving. He has great potential and I hate to see all his hard work go down the drain

 

[MMiz]

Was he charged or found guilty of OWI? Chances are many local EMS programs won't even accept him because of it, and gaining a job at a private or public service will be near impossible.

If he is smart he will find the best lawyer he can and fight it. Paying a few thousand for a good lawyer now will save possibly tens of thousands in the future.

 

[soccergirl47546]

He was charged but not convicted yet. The instructor told him he could fight it before the EMS Commission, but needed to pass the course first. How does he pass the course if he has been kicked out of it?

 

[Flight-LP]

What was the prescription med and why is he on tranquilizers?

 

[oldschoolmedic]

OK, they shouldn't remove him from class for being charged, by doing so they will be opening themselves up to a lawsuit should he be found innocent. By any chance does your school have a moral terpitude clause with its students? If it does, this sort of charge would be a violation of the clause and grounds for dismissal.

A seizure while operating will cause the DOT of your state to place restrictions on his driver's license, at least temporarily, regardless of the cause of the seizure. He will need to get a clean bill of health from his physician, and preferably a neurologist before he gets cleared probably.

Hiring a good attorney is the best thing he can do. The attorney will look at all of the angles involved in defnding his client from this sort of thing. If he wins, they can get all of this expunged from his record (except the accident itself). His clean record is in his favor, so they may be more willing to work with him than if he was a repeat offender.

Unfortunately, if he loses this he can pretty much forget about working for any reputable services. His best shot will be as a "meat in the seat" or "pulse and a patch" EMT. Very, very few services are willing to take on the insurance risk of a driver with an OWI (DWI/DUI, depends on where you're from).

This can actually serve as an object lesson to EMS providers who think it can't happen to them as. Too many times I have had to watch good medics go away because of poor personal judgment OFF the job. This job is a lifestyle more than some people are willing to admit. Gotta stay clean, sober, and be a good role model, because the kids really are watching what you do.

 

[Jon]

Wow. That stinks. In school, both Basic and Medic, we were told that we had to be careful what we do outside of class because it can effect our standing as a student.

Here is what I think:

disclaimer - this is based on the limited information I have. If the story ends up being signifcantly different, I reserve the right to modify my opinion.

I can't understand removing him from class for being CHARGED with OWI. After he is convicted, yes, but "Innocent until Proven Guilty" is how we are supposed to run things here in America.

Also, if the OWI was for PERSCRIBED percription medications (or an OTC drug interaction with same), it seems unfair to judge it in the same light as the drunk who drives home from the bar. Some things aren't predictable. Some things are.

In PA, if one is convicted of DUI or almost any crime, they must apply for permission to go to class and be certified. The state then says that So-And-So is O.K.'D to apply for certification as an EMT-Basic, and that they must reveal this to their prospective employers for X years. Further, it specifys they can't drive an ambulance for Y years.

 

[brentoli]

Im 90% sure there is a clause in Indiana law about prescribed controlled substances...
Now if it was an OD, or combo not prescribed... then thats diffrent. But anyway, lawyer.. now...

 

[BossyCow]

So, he took one medication that he was prescribed, and combined it with another, possibly prescribed, possibly not, tranquilizer. The effect of one med with the other was severe enough to cause a seizure behind the wheel.

Does this guy know how to read a label? Is he familiar with the medications he's being prescribed and what the possible interactions are with other medications? I'm thinking that without hearing a whole lot of information to the contrary, the guy sounds like a bit of a putz. I expect this kind of behavior in Pt's, not in co-workers. I just can't get past one tiny detail of the story... "Took a tranquilzer...... got behind the wheel".

The details that follow this are moot. He took a tranqulizer and got behind the wheel and then seems to think that he needs to be defended, excused and understood? He screwed up big time, and he's just lucky that he didn't kill some pedestrian during his 'episode'.

 

[sdadam]

what is an OWI? We have DUI's here, but I've never heard of an OWI (?operating while influenced? maybe)

adam

 

[EyeOn]

I would imagine it means Operating While Intoxicated. Same thing as what Driving Under the Influence here means. Does that sd in sdadam mean San Diego? I'm in Vista

 

[MMiz]

There's:
OWI - Operating While Intoxicated
OUIL - Operating Under the Influence of Alcohol
DWI - Driving While Intoxicated
DUI - Driving Under the Influence

And I'm sure a few others