Sleepy Hollow ambulance corps member crashes official vehicle, charged with DWI

[Guest]

Another black eye for Sleepy Hollow.

Sleepy Hollow ambulance corps member crashes official vehicle, charged with DWI

By Shawn Cohen and Jonathan Bandler

The Journal News • January 20, 2009

SLEEPY HOLLOW - A member of the Sleepy Hollow volunteer ambulance corps was arrested this morning for drunken driving after he crashed while heading home in an official emergency vehicle, authorities said.

FULL STORY: http://www.lohud.com/article/20090120/NEWS02/901200383

[RWC130 594]

Village Mayor Phil Zegarelli said Rodriguez was not on official business at the time. He took the "fly vehicle" - a converted police car that provides an advance response to ambulance calls - from the ambulance corps building without permission.

Mayor, do you mean Fly Car?

[Guest WCDES636]

Mayor, do you mean Fly Car?

It might be "FLY"

[Oswegowind 17]

That isn't good!

[FDNYDCHI 38]

I was reading the Article and it said that the guy lived in ossining, how far is it to respond to sleepy to an EMS run?

Chris

Edited January 20, 2009 by FDNYDCHI

[medic929 0]

I was reading the Article and it said that the guy lived in ossining, how far is it to respond to sleepy to an EMS run?

Chris

Sleepy Hollow is about 3 miles away. But he should not of been driving the vehicle if he was drinking

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

Which car was it? Was it the Tahoe with the two light bars on it, one big one in front and a smaller one in back or was it some other car?

[Guest]

The article said a "recycled PD car"

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

Nevermind, picture of vehicle in question has been posted on lohud.com

[Remember585 815]

And Westchester County's 1st 2009 Darwin Award nominee is......

[Tapout 42]

And Westchester County's 1st 2009 Darwin Award nominee is......

Sad, but true... Arron gets it. Embarrassing.

[xchief2x 79]

This isn't just another black eye for Sleepy Hollow it is a black eye for all of us in emergency services.

[IzzyEng4 427]

And Westchester County's 1st 2009 Darwin Award nominee is......

He didn't kill himself, he's only an honorable mention for the Darwins.

Any who another case of some one not using their noggin again. Unfortunately its never going to end.

[efd184 59]

This isn't just another black eye for Sleepy Hollow it is a black eye for all of us in emergency services.

I disagree!

It makes the volunteer ems secture look bad not me!

[64FFMJK 21]

I disagree!

It makes the volunteer ems secture look bad not me!

and you realy think that joe on the street can tell the differance when they called an ambulance. I think not since I have been both and have first had experiances that prove that they can not.

[Goose 188]

and you realy think that joe on the street can tell the differance when they called an ambulance. I think not since I have been both and have first had experiances that prove that they can not.

It's really more of a sleepy hollow issue than anything and after that its more of a volunteer ems issue than anything. When most of these VACs and VFD have "Volunteer" or "All Volunteer Since The Dawn of Time" plastered on their trucks and the people inside are not wearing uniforms it doesn't take a PhD to determine that those are volunteers.

Likewise, volunteer agencies tend to have a large social component. I don't know about you guys, but i surely don't go to work on my off day or am anywhere near it after having been out.

[N1Medic 69]

It's really more of a sleepy hollow issue than anything and after that its more of a volunteer ems issue than anything. When most of these VACs and VFD have "Volunteer" or "All Volunteer Since The Dawn of Time" plastered on their trucks and the people inside are not wearing uniforms it doesn't take a PhD to determine that those are volunteers.

But, wasn't he employed at the same "VAC" you were/are employed at?

[Chief2573 0]

But, wasn't he employed at the same "VAC" you were/are employed at?

Ouch!

[NYMedic37 22]

I disagree!

It makes the volunteer ems secture look bad not me!

Thank you! I do agree that it makes the volunteer structure look very bad. Aparantly, there's no control over the volunteer fly cars. I've seen volunteer fly cars and volunteer fire chief cars miles away from thier jurisdictions, parked at Yankee stadium, out shopping, I've seen them in the grocery stores and loading up the volly fly cars with groceries. That's an abuse of the taxpayer's money. Time for a change!

Edited January 21, 2009 by NYMedic37

[NYMedic37 22]

But, wasn't he employed at the same "VAC" you were/are employed at?

I'm sure that if an EMT showed up to work drunk and attempted to take a fly car out for a drive that his superiors would stop it from happening and most likely fire the employee but at a volunteer organization there is little control. Hence the need for change.

[joetnymedic 43]

Not to say this wasn't a bad thing that happened nor was it right. Yes, it gave Sleepy Hollow a black eye so to speak. Someone didn't think before they did something stupid. What the article failed to say is that the VAC has other members which are willing to and dedicated to serving the public. Yes, it was a lack of judgement, and yes, this is going to portray the VAC in a poor light. But I am sure that the members who are active and dedicated will be able to overcome this obsticle. Everyone here has to admit that Sleepy Hollow has come a long way from what it used to be. As for the driver, Yes, he should be punished for what he did. But remember, his thinking was impaired from whatever he was drinking. He should be responsible for paying for the damage to the fly car and whatever else they find out he hit. He should have counseling and should be required to get help for his issue. Everyone here has had to deal with some type of drunk whether it was on the job or off. So remember how those people were. What I think would really drive the point home here is to have him see what drunk driving can really do as he is lucky he didn't hit and kill someone. Make him sit in on an autopsy. Make him watch blurred lines (yes, I've seen it). Open his eyes to what drunk driving can do and let him see that there are other victims to his actions, not just himself. And yes, even though he didn't hurt or kill anyone, there are other victims here. Each and every member of the Corps has to deal with this. Not only that but the Corps is down a vehicle which was used to help people. and the Village also suffers from this. And yes to a degree people who don't realize what or where this happened, may think it was somewhere else. Some people will be quick to point out that incidents like this are part of the reason EMS is viewed as the red headed (sorry to anyone with red hair) step child of public safety. That's because when incidents like this occur, we tend to monday morning quarterback instead of learning from it, and putting things in place, as well as just sticking together. I don't mean standing up for the guy that screwed up, but standing up for the Corps and EMS in general. If we can't get our acts together, who will and the mold will never be broken.

This is just my opinion and everyone else has theirs and is entitled to it also.

joe

[INIT915 1,119]

I disagree!

It makes the volunteer ems secture look bad not me!

The general public does not differentiate between "sectors". And just check out the Lohud blogs, the proof is there.

And anyone who knows Aaron is probably not all that shocked that this happened, unfortunately.

[NYMedic37 22]

Not to say this wasn't a bad thing that happened nor was it right. Yes, it gave Sleepy Hollow a black eye so to speak. Someone didn't think before they did something stupid. What the article failed to say is that the VAC has other members which are willing to and dedicated to serving the public. Yes, it was a lack of judgement, and yes, this is going to portray the VAC in a poor light. But I am sure that the members who are active and dedicated will be able to overcome this obsticle. Everyone here has to admit that Sleepy Hollow has come a long way from what it used to be. As for the driver, Yes, he should be punished for what he did. But remember, his thinking was impaired from whatever he was drinking. He should be responsible for paying for the damage to the fly car and whatever else they find out he hit. He should have counseling and should be required to get help for his issue. Everyone here has had to deal with some type of drunk whether it was on the job or off. So remember how those people were. What I think would really drive the point home here is to have him see what drunk driving can really do as he is lucky he didn't hit and kill someone. Make him sit in on an autopsy. Make him watch blurred lines (yes, I've seen it). Open his eyes to what drunk driving can do and let him see that there are other victims to his actions, not just himself. And yes, even though he didn't hurt or kill anyone, there are other victims here. Each and every member of the Corps has to deal with this. Not only that but the Corps is down a vehicle which was used to help people. and the Village also suffers from this. And yes to a degree people who don't realize what or where this happened, may think it was somewhere else. Some people will be quick to point out that incidents like this are part of the reason EMS is viewed as the red headed (sorry to anyone with red hair) step child of public safety. That's because when incidents like this occur, we tend to monday morning quarterback instead of learning from it, and putting things in place, as well as just sticking together. I don't mean standing up for the guy that screwed up, but standing up for the Corps and EMS in general. If we can't get our acts together, who will and the mold will never be broken.

This is just my opinion and everyone else has theirs and is entitled to it also.

joe

NO.....What he did was a crime. Several crimes. EMS is a profession, not a hobby. Act professional. Yes "his thinking was impaired from whatever he was drinking". This is NO excuse. If you were to lean on impaired judgement as a defense for your DWI in court, you would lose. So lets call it like it is.....Illegal.

[efd184 59]

Thank you! I do agree that it makes the volunteer structure look very bad. Aparantly, there's no control over the volunteer fly cars. I've seen volunteer fly cars and volunteer fire chief cars miles away from thier jurisdictions, parked at Yankee stadium, out shopping, I've seen them in the grocery stores and loading up the volly fly cars with groceries. That's an abuse of the taxpayer's money. Time for a change!

They should start by finding out why these departments are constantly getting new cars!

[joetnymedic 43]

I'm not saying what he did wasn't illegal in fact, if you re-read the post, you will see I actually suggested some things that could be done as punishment. While I did not say lock him up, that's something that would be on everyones mind so I didn't write it. That said, what would happen if he was locked up? would he get the help he obviously needs? not a chance. sure he will be penalized for what he did, and he should be, but we (as in society) need to not only penalize him, but get to the root of the problem and fix it. Just locking a guy up may give him plenty of time to think about what he did, but other than that, I think jail is just a human storage facility. At least in CT it pretty much is. There have been plenty of articles and news storys on how our DOC takes guys who get out and drop them on city streets. You may as well just give them a ride back to jail because these are the guys most likely to re-offend. if you don't fix the problem one person at a time, it's going to happen over and over. There's something else I wanted to point out, as for EMS always catching a bad rap. How many stories do the paper and TV news do on EMS that shows it in a good light? - exactly, bad news sells and this is how media makes it's money. I worked for a couple of TV stations up her, doing video, in fact when fox61 opened it's news department I was one of their videographers. I quit. you know why? Because they sent me to film the funeral of a cab driver, who's wife was a nurse at Yale with 4 or 5 kids (I recall it like yesterday the guys name was Al Hansen and he worked for Metro Cab). You know what my boss was intent on me getting video of? The family crying and being devestated by his death. Well I disagree with that. Funerals are a time to mourn and I thought that was a bit over the top so I left. I also worked the desk here in CT at News 12 in Norwalk. It's pretty funny that we would jump on a story about a fire department who's equitment was falling apart and had to borrow trucks from other departments, yet we ignored the guys that were out there saving lives. Funny thing is, as I still have my hand in the pot there. Last year was the first year they actually did some good stories and spotlighted several ambulance services during EMS week. I'm just saying the media is slanted and I don't think anyone here would disagree. And part of the reason the public may have a tainted vision of what EMS is all about is because mainline media keeps shoving all the bad stuff down their throats. Anyone see the Journal News at Sleepy Hollow when they put their new ambulance in service? How about their 40th anniversary dinner? Media was invited, but they decided it wasn't in their intrest to cover it. And this type of coverage doesn't just happen in Sleepy Hollow. I am using Sleepy Hollow as an example because of what just occurred. Do I think what the guy did was wrong, of course I do. Should he be punished? yes. Should it be splattered all over the papers? no. But 10 to 1 when he gets sentenced the paper will bring the whole incident up again so that everyone has to live it again.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

First...I've always found it odd how some jump on someone when this occurs or shakes their head when someone gets a DWI. Statistically, most adults will have driven a vehicle when legally under the influence or intoxicated. I'll be the first one to admit that I have driven a motor vehicle (although never an emergency vehicle) when I probably shouldn't have. What's the difference between someone who gets a DWI when no accident or incident was involved other then PD intervention? They were the unlucky one to have an officer in their area. What makes this bad is the fact that it was an official vehicle of an emergency services organization. So of course it will help to get people to read the story. If this was his POV...he would have gotten a blurb in the blotter section.

Secondly..Monday morning QBing...is part of the learning experience. That is just a name given to any discussion post event by those who wear rose colored glasses, while eating cake and candy and think that only praise and high honor should be given to overall outcomes of incidents instead of the how efficient and well traveled the path was to get there.

Thirdly, yes many can learn from this. Why in the first place would their be a BLS "flycar" unsecured inside same building with ambulances in it? Wouldn't the first vehicle you take be the bus?

I don't know who can sit and say EMS catches a bad rap. Every service for the most part catches a bad rap when something stupid and that goes against everything we are supposed to stand for happens. EMS isn't getting anymore attention then any other service. And if you feel that it is..its the professions own fault...no one else. And of course they will bring it up again, but probably even farther back in the pages then it was. No different then any other idiot who disgraces THEMSELVES and has their agency's name and service thrown in. For whoever said it was a discredit to all of us. Speak for yourself...he didn't discredit me, one of my professions or the agency I work for. And yes I do know him personally, as we used to work at the same "VAC" together for a short time and am highly disappointed in him. His ego will take a knock for quite some time..so hopefully after some probation and restitution to the agency...he will actually think before doing something as friggin stupid as he did.

[x635 4,066]

I've known Aaron for a long time-longer then everybody who knows him in Westchester's emergency services community, since he was 14. I know his father and his family. He was a member of the Ardsley FD Explorer post when I was an advisor several years ago. He had his issues there (mostly relating to maintaining his grades, which was an Explorer Post bylaw), but Aaron is a good kid with the right intentions, sometimes overzealous. He can sometimes have a temper, sometimes say the wrong things, sometimes an attitude, but again that's Aaron and I have witnessed it is because he has hung out with the wrong people growing up and nobody really was willing to help him, and those that were found it challenging.

Aaron has always aspired high but has run into obstacles. I ran into him in Ardsley last year, and was pleased to learn that he was an active volunteer EMT and was an career EMT with a southern Westchester EMS agency. He really wanted to become a police officer or go to Paramedic school, and we talked about it for a while. I occasionally correspond with him via email to see what he's up to, and how he's doing. The last I had heard from him a couple of days ago, is that he let his EMT expire because he was sick of the politics that went with it. I didn't have a chance to write back, and regret it.

In fact, at one of the agencies he's worked for, there is a Paramedic who also was in the Explorer Post and Department with him at the time also, and knew him well, and went to high school with him only a couple of years apart- someone who I'm dissapointed in for not following through in guiding him along the right path while he could, and is badmouthing him right now like he does me as I'm told by a few different people who work there, confirmed by recorded document. He does this for his own gain and to boost his ego and image....to those who know who I'm talking about, DO NOT LISTEN TO A WORD HE HAS TO SAY, ever, pathological liar, I've known this person over 15 years now and am shocked at who he's become........anyways.......

Everybody makes mistakes, and Aaron's made the one that's destroyed any future career in emergency services.

The issue Aaron's brought to light, in my eyes, is alcholol use and abuse in the fire and EMS service. It's often laughed and joked about, but no one that I know of has really tried to tackle the problems. "Getting wasted" seems to occur with any social event in both the volunteer service, where it's consumed at parades and even in firehouses, and the career services, where it's consumed at union halls and softball games. Many use it to "self medicate" without anyone reconozing the issue. I've known many to have gotten into a car and driven. In some communities where the DWI offender is caught in the past, the PO has quietly let that person go due to their status.

The difference here is, Aaron got caught, and Sleepy Hollow has had MUCH more then their fair share of sometimes unfair publicity in the media due to things beyond their control. BUT, this could have happened to any number of people in numerous communties throughout the area- and it's just a matter of time before it happens again, somewhere.

I don't know Sleepy Hollow VAC's policies, but I am intereted to see the official report and facts on what really happened, because I suspect, knowing Aaron and SHVAC, that this could have been well beyond their control.

To all the officers out there in every agency reading this- what will you do to prevent something like this from happening in your agency?

[NYMedic37 22]

They should start by finding out why these departments are constantly getting new cars!

I'd bet my next paycheck that there are more NON-EMS / NON-Fire related miles on those cars as opposed to using the car for its intended purpose such as EMS and Fire emergencies.

[Remember585 815]

I can't help but wonder if this occurred somewhere other then "Press-Friendly" Sleepy Hollow, would it have made the news?

[efd184 59]

I'd bet my next paycheck that there are more NON-EMS / NON-Fire related miles on those cars as opposed to using the car for its intended purpose such as EMS and Fire emergencies.

i could bet that with any other department as well