Fire Law Blog Fire Service and Public Safety Legal Issues Blog by Curt Varone
A Pennsylvania ambulance driver pled guilty this week to homicide charges related to a vehicle accident that resulted in the deaths of two people, including his passenger-patient.
On Monday, Jeffrey R. Gable, 22, of the Trust Ambulance of Cumberland County, pled guilty to two counts of involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment, aggravated assault by vehicle, and three summary traffic violations in Lancaster County Court.
Gable was reportedly driving a non-emergency transport patient to a nursing home on October 7, 2016 when he collided head-on with another vehicle, precipitating a four-vehicle collision. He was accused of driving at 64 mph in a 45 mph zone, and allegedly veered into oncoming traffic. The patient, Doris Waltz, 60, was killed in the crash, as was the other driver, Jason Oswald, 43.
The Reading Eagle quoted Gable as saying: “Never did I want to hurt anyone. My life has been about helping others.” Gable will have to serve between 6 and 23 months in prison, followed by 8 years of probation. He was also sentenced to 100 hours of community service and must pay $2,200 restitution.
