MIDDLETOWN ? A South Lake County Fire ambulance was involved in a head-on vehicle accident Tuesday evening. The emergency response vehicle was reportedly totaled in the collision.
The incident occurred at approximately 6:34 p.m. on State Route 29 at the junction with State Route 175 in Middletown. According to a press release issued by the Clear Lake area California Highway Patrol, Steven Shafer, 55, of Lakeport, who was driving a 2005 Porsche SUV, was stopped in the northbound lane preparing to make a left turn onto State Route 175. Ronnie Boyd Jr., 36, of Clearlake was traveling southbound on State Route 29 at State Route 175 in a 2003 Ford ambulance owned by the fire district.
Roy Pike, 65, of Hidden Valley, was driving northbound in a 2001 Dodge Intrepid approaching the rear of Shafer”s car. Pike reportedly was distracted and did not notice the Porsche stopped in front of him until just prior to impact.
Pike reportedly swerved left to avoid colliding with Shafer”s car but was unable to successfully complete the maneuver and hit the rear of the Porsche. Pike”s vehicle then struck the ambulance head-on.
All parties involved in the incident sustained minor to moderate injuries. Pike, Boyd and Mark Jones, who was passenger in the ambulance, were transported via South Lake Fire ambulance to St. Helena Hospital Clearlake. Shafer did not require transport.
Traffic was reportedly detoured for approximately an hour until the scene was cleared. Officer Steve Curtis is investigating the incident.
According to South Lake Fire Battalion Chief Jim Wright, the ambulance suffered extensive damage. “We haven”t had an adjusted took at it yet but it sounds like it was totaled,” Wright said. “It”s pretty early in the game to say what the insurance company will say and what the replacement cost will be. We do expect some sort of financial impact. We”ll have to come up with the money in our budget and unplanned expenses are always a hardship.”
According to Wright, the district typically operates with two ambulances in service. He said that they are using a reserve vehicle at present and two ambulances remain in service.
South Lake County Fire District is accepting donations to assist in covering the cost to replace the emergency response vehicle. For more information contact the district office at 987-3089.
Contact Denise Rockenstein at drockenstein@clearlakeobserver.com or call her directly at 994-6444, ext. 11.
