Private ambulance driver got in an Uber and allegedly abandoned a patient she had been transporting: ‘She said she’s done driving’
The patient said she had to call 911 to help her
A paramedic who was transporting a patient to the Cleveland Clinic in a private ambulance has been accused of abandoning the vehicle and the patient and ordering herself an Uber. In a 911 call, the patient can be heard asking for someone to come and pick her up after the ambulance driver allegedly got lost and then left them stranded.
In the 911 calls obtained by Fox 8 the patient, Lema Tackett-Kuscmaul, is heard asking someone from Cleveland EMS to come and pick her up after the Lynx EMS paramedic driving the ambulance she was in the back of, left her and the vehicle. “Please get someone out to help me. I’m begging you,” she said in the call.
Speaking about the ambulance driver, Tackett-Kuscmaul told the 911 operator “She said she’s done driving. She said she’s taking an Uber. She’s leaving us.”
The patient, who had been coming to the hospital for treatment of a spinal injury she suffered in June, later spoke with Fox 8 about her experience, telling the outlet, “I was screaming. I was definitely screaming at the top of my lungs.”
The paramedic had allegedly gotten lost
Tackett-Kuscmaul had also told the 911 operator that the driver had gotten lost and that the GPS had been taking them in circles before she allegedly got out of the vehicle.
She went on to say that the other Lynx EMT stayed with her but that he was also “wondering where [the driver] is.” Tackett-Kuscmaul described the scene as “total chaos,” telling the outlet, “I wanted the aspirin to keep me from having a heart attack.” She also commended the 911 operator who stayed on the phone with her the entire time.
A Lynx EMS spokesperson subsequently made a statement to Fox 8 after the incident. They did not confirm the status of the paramedic who left the vehicle.
“Upon becoming aware of the situation, immediate steps were taken to address the matter and ensure the patient’s well-being and care needs were addressed,” the spokesperson said. They went on to add that Lynx EMS was “continuing to review the circumstances surrounding this incident and will take appropriate action based on the findings of that review,” before stating that they could not comment further on the matter as it involved a member of personnel.
Cleveland EMS Deputy Commissioner Chris Chapin claimed that he had never seen such an incident in 31 years.” I would hope that our people would never be in a situation where this would happen to them, and if they did want to leave the job, they would do it when nobody is in the ambulance,” he said.
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