16.11.2026 01:41
In the US state of Ohio, an ambulance driver, after getting lost along with the female patient he was taking to the hospital, said "My shift is over," pulled the ambulance over to the side of the road, and left the scene in a taxi he called. The female patient, who was being transferred to the hospital due to a spinal injury, remained stranded in the ambulance along with the other paramedic.
The incident in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, brought one of the most extraordinary cases of negligence that can be encountered in healthcare to the agenda. The woman waiting to reach the hospital had to call the emergency line after the driver of the ambulance carrying her abandoned the journey halfway.
FIRST HE LOST HIS WAY, THEN SAID “MY SHIFT IS OVER” AND LEFT IN A TAXI HE CALLED
The incident occurred in the West 150th Street area of Cleveland. The female patient, transported by a private ambulance company, was being taken to a hospital called Cleveland Clinic. However, when the ambulance driver could not find the way to the hospital, he drove around in the vehicle for a while. Then, stating that he would not continue the journey, the driver said his shift was over and left the ambulance by the roadside. The driver called a taxi through a phone app and left the scene.
THE PATIENT AND THE MEDICAL WORKER WERE LEFT STRANDED
The woman named Lema Tackett-Kuscmaul, who was in the ambulance, was left stranded with the other medical worker after the driver left. The woman, who explained that she was being taken from Toledo to Cleveland for treatment due to a spinal injury, was greatly shocked by what happened. Upon the woman's request for help, Cleveland Emergency Medical Services (EMS) teams were directed to the scene. The arriving medical personnel intervened and got her to the hospital.
IN HIS 30-YEAR CAREER, HE HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS
Cleveland EMS Assistant Commissioner Chris Chapin stated that he had not encountered such an incident in more than 30 years of professional life. The Cleveland Emergency Medical Services Employees Association, to which the teams that ensured the patient's rescue are affiliated, stated in its statement that the medical personnel who responded to the call for help performed the necessary intervention and safely transported the patient to the hospital. Tackett-Kuscmaul also thanked the teams that came to her aid and the medical worker who did not leave her alone.
AMBULANCE COMPANY LAUNCHED AN INVESTIGATION
The private ambulance company, which made a statement after the incident, stated that patient safety is their most important priority and announced that the events are being investigated. The company explained that as soon as they became aware of the situation, the necessary steps were taken to ensure the patient's safety, and that appropriate actions would be taken according to the results of the investigation. However, no information was shared regarding whether the ambulance driver was dismissed.