Ohio Patient Takes Over Ambulance in Attack on Par

[JetPhoto 626]

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Ohio Patient Takes Over Ambulance in Attack on Paramedics

JOHN HORTON, Plain Dealer Reporter

Plain Dealer (Cleveland)

A psychiatric patient overpowered two paramedics and hijacked their ambulance Tuesday morning while en route to a Geauga County hospital for medication, sheriff's officials said.

The woman - described in a frantic 9-1-1 call by one of the paramedics as violent and out of control - then spent roughly a half-hour driving the rescue vehicle along U.S. 322, where the attack took place in Claridon Township.

State Highway Patrol troopers eventually stopped Victoria Madge's getaway by flattening three of the ambulance's tires at the highway's intersection with Ohio 46 in Ashtabula County. She traveled more than 17 miles and crossed five townships while on the lam.

Madge, 33, of Willoughby, is expected to face an assortment of criminal charges, including theft of an ambulance, robbery, assault and fleeing and eluding law enforcement officers, according to Geauga Sheriff Dan McClelland and State Highway Patrol Lt. Jim Sivak.

Both paramedics - Stacey Hall, 32, and Erin Roesch, 21 - suffered injuries, but were treated at Geauga Regional Hospital and released, according to their employer, the Ashtabula-based Community Care Ambulance.

Hall and Roesch picked up Madge from Grand Valley Country Manor in Windsor on Tuesday morning.

Roesch told sheriff's dispatchers that Madge refused to take her medication at the care facility and was to be taken to Geauga Hospital for forced treatment.

Madge left Grand Valley willingly, Roesch said in her taped 9-1-1 conversation.

But midway through the 20-minute ride, "she freaked," said Roesch, who was riding in the back with Madge while Hall drove.

While Roesch talked by cell phone with the hospital to give an estimated time of arrival, Madge secretly undid the three safety straps holding her on the gurney. Once free, Madge pounced on Roesch, clawing at her face and choking the paramedic, McClelland said.

Hall heard the commotion and stopped on U.S. 322, west of Ohio 608. She ran to the back of the truck and opened the doors to help her partner.

Madge responded by kicking Hall to the pavement, McClelland said.

As a dazed Hall ran to a nearby house for help, Madge resumed her attack on Roesch. Eventually, Madge flung Roesch out of the back of the ambulance and commandeered the vehicle, McClelland said. A battered and bloodied Roesch dialed 9-1-1 on her cell phone as Madge drove away.

"Please help . . . please," Roesch shouted. "Our ambulance just got stolen by a psych patient."

Madge drove west on U.S. 322 before turning around and heading back east, driving past Roesch and Hall in the process. Madge picked up the ambulance's radio microphone and began talking, rambling about her plight and medical treatment. Her words were recorded.

She called herself a victim and a prisoner, and then added, "I don't like being a victim or a prisoner."

Sheriff's Lt. Scott Niehus broke in over the radio several times, trying in vain to talk Madge into stopping.

Meanwhile, a state trooper saw the ambulance a few miles after it crossed into Ashtabula County from Geauga and began tailing the vehicle. A second trooper set spikes in the road ahead, which punctured three tires on the rescue vehicle and ended Madge's jaunt about 10 a.m.

Madge surrendered peacefully and was taken to the Geauga Jail, McClelland said.

You can never be too careful with a psych patient in your bus!

[WAS967 97]

Wow.

Just.....wow.

[Guest Rich DD]

Wow.

Just.....wow.

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Yea..... WOW!!!

[Guest paramedico987]

And yet I'm still told that I can't have a tazer at work...

[IzzyEng4 427]

Not for nothing, We should be able to restrain psych patients when it is known they can be violent or to defend ourselves when needed. wow, thank god the two medics are ok.

[Eagle24 2]

Not for nothing, We should be able to restrain psych patients when it is known they can be violent or to defend ourselves when needed.  wow, thank god the two medics are ok.

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It's also good that no one on the road got hurt...I doubt she was driving "defensively"...

[Guest]

But I am told I cant carry pepper spray or a asp or cuff or SOMETHING whats it gonna take? You dont have to be working in the south bronx to get hurt........................BE SAFE GO HOME AT THE END OF YOUR TOUR

[ny10570 745]

You don't need cuffs or pepper spray or anything like that. Just properly strap your patient in (one tightly secured above the knees, one across the hipsand one across the torso) and stay vigilent. There is no f*cking way someone can undo the three straps let alone jump you without if you are being vigilant. Finish your paper work either before you load up or after and keep your eyes on your pt. All of my partners knew that when I yelled stop they were to hammer on the brakes right then and there cause i was getting out no matter where we were

[JetPhoto 626]

You don't need cuffs or pepper spray or anything like that.  Just properly strap your patient in (one tightly secured above the knees, one across the hipsand one across the torso) and stay vigilent.  There is no f*cking way someone can undo the three straps let alone jump you without if you are being vigilant.  Finish your paper work either before you load up or after and keep your eyes on your pt.  All of my partners knew that when I yelled stop they were to hammer on the brakes right then and there cause i was getting out no matter where we were

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First off, if you are tightening the straps that tight then you are definitely physically abusing the patient.

Second, patients can be calm and show no signs of struggle and then suddenly go nuts. We have all witnessed this or just the opposite they can be crazy and then once you get away from everyone calm right down.

In any case if you feel the patient is a risk, have the cops zip tie them to the stretcher. This way if you needed to you can cut them off. just as good as handcuffs!

Using pepper spray in the back of the bus is just going to piss them off and irritate you and your partner that's driveling.

And I agree 100% keep your eyes on your patients! They can go nuts on you or they just may crash on you suddenly.

The crews safety is first priority over patient care!

[IzzyEng4 427]

You don't need cuffs or pepper spray or anything like that.  Just properly strap your patient in (one tightly secured above the knees, one across the hipsand one across the torso) and stay vigilent.  There is no f*cking way someone can undo the three straps let alone jump you without if you are being vigilant.  Finish your paper work either before you load up or after and keep your eyes on your pt.  All of my partners knew that when I yelled stop they were to hammer on the brakes right then and there cause i was getting out no matter where we were

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You'll be supprised what a person can do reguardless of being vigilant. Trust me I Know first hand.

[WAS967 97]

First off, if you are tightening the straps that tight then you are definitely physically abusing the patient.

In any case if you feel the patient is a risk, have the cops zip tie them to the stretcher.

I believe you contradict yourself.

[ny10570 745]

I'm not talking about strapping them down to the point where you're causing injury, but to the point where they are snuggly secured ie can't fit a finger under the strap

[20y2 43]

But I am told I cant carry pepper spray or a asp or cuff or SOMETHING whats it gonna take? You dont have to be working in the south bronx to get hurt........................BE SAFE GO HOME AT THE END OF YOUR TOUR

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I've been working the Central and South Bronx for 9 years and I've never heard of someone getting hurt because of a patient attacking them, what was the need to continue a totally untrue stereotype?

[20y2 43]

If you truly don't feel as though you can adequately contain the EDP, then ask PD for an escort, they are usually more than happy to assist. If you don't feel comfortable and PD is not available, then use triangular bandages to tie the truly psychotic patient to the stretcher and do NOT undo them until you have transported to the hospital. You need only add one line to the report; "I restrained the patient to the stretcher using triangle bandages as restraints on all four extremities for my safety and patient safety." I believe some people are of the mindset that you can't do something like this without PD approval and this is one hundred percent not true.

[IzzyEng4 427]

I'm not talking about strapping them down to the point where you're causing injury, but to the point where they are snuggly secured ie can't fit a finger under the strap

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The only trouble with that is that you can be charged with unlawful restraint. It is a very gray area in the leagal sense. I'm not disagreeing with you but when you have to restrain a patient you have to watch yourselves. Using the strecher straps or back board straps is not the way to restrain a patient. People can easily wiggle out of the straps if they are determined to do so. There are other alternatives such as using a blanket to hold down a patient or even having the police to get involved especially if a patient is known to have violent tendencies. Your idea was the way it was done for years and is effective but more and more, courts will side with a patient even if it is for your own protection! This stinks to high heaven nd we shouldn't have to worry about lawsuits ect. And most of the time they are not filed by the patient but thier family.

But trust me, if you were my partner on a rig I would do anything to make sure we were both protected. This is a hot topic on where can we draw the line to protect ourselves with out doing something considered unlawful.

[ny10570 745]

Several times now people have brought up the legal repercussions of restraining a pt. I can't find any cases where someone in EMS got screwed when they did their job properly. Several cases of pt's being txp on their chest and suffering injuries or death resulted in legal action. EMT's not sufficiently restraining a pt has been brought to court several times but in the three instances I found a result the crew was cleared on those charges but were twice gotten on other charges. Does any one have an example of a crew getting jammed up for excessively restraining a pt? Something more than a guy I worked with. A searchable case.

[WAS967 97]

Mind if I ask what the other charges brought were?

[Skooter92 7]

1) You are allowed to properly restrain a patient, properly being with soft restraints, face up, and without restricting their ability to breathe, for their or your protection. Done it buttloads of times over 19 years in EMS-never been sued.

2) If you have to have a police officer restrain a patient with cuffs or flexcuffs, they MUST ride on the rigs-reason being, if the patient craps out, you will need them to provide the key/cutter for the restraints.

3) I used to carry OC and a baton-and I wasn't trained to use either from ANY legal standpoint. Unless your agency allows you to carry, has training and guidelines in place to cover their use, and will indemnify you if you use them-don't carry them. I NEVER ended up having to use them, they gave a false sense of security, and I could have gone to prison for carrying/using them. In retrospect, NOT a wise choice.

4) This is an excellent website concerning this subject. Go there, read it. DO NOT LISTEN TO THOSE WHO MERELY HAVE AN OPINION. Charly has done her homework. Charly Miller-Restraint

Edited July 15, 2006 by Skooter92

[ny10570 745]

Mind if I ask what the other charges brought were?

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I was mistaken in what I said before. There were only two seperate cases. The third case was a new set of charges for a crew. After the pt neglect was dropped they were charged with abandonment.

[JetPhoto 626]

2) If you have to have a police officer restrain a patient with cuffs or flexcuffs, they MUST ride on the rigs-reason being, if the patient craps out, you will need them to provide the key/cutter for the restraints.

If a Pt. is handcuffed yes a police officer should be in the back with you. If the Pt. is secured with flexcuffs, and you still don't feel safe then demand an officer ride. If you are comfortable, your trauma shears work just fine for removing flex cuffs.

As far as cops willing to go to the hospital with you, we have a department who 95% of the time will not go with you because it takes 2 officers (1 in the back and one to return the officer in a timely manor) out of the area for about an hour. (They also complain about being understaffed.)

So who gets stuck with all the unnessacery BS? The cheaply paid (or volunteer) EMS worker.