Wednesday, March 11, 2015

PRESS RELEASE FOR DRIVER WITH DIABETIC EMERGENCY

On March 10, 2015 at approximately 7:55a.m., the Calvert Control Center began receiving 911 calls for a green truck driving erratically northbound on Rt. 4 in the area of Cherry Hill Road.  The callers reported the vehicle had struck street signs and a guardrail. Cpl. T. Smith was in the area and got behind the vehicle northbound Rt. 4 in the area of Cameleer Pass.  Cpl. T. Smith observed the vehicle swerving all over the road and actually travelled into the grass median at one point. Cpl. Smith activated his emergency equipment in an effort to get the vehicle to stop.  The vehicle continued north at approximately 25 to 30 miles per hour.  Based upon the way the vehicle was being driven, Cpl. Smith made the decision to PIT the vehicle to force it off of the roadway in the area of Georgianna Lane.  The vehicle struck the guardrail after over correcting and continued driving off of the road in the grass adjacent to the shoulder.  Cpl. Smith again made contact with the vehicle on the driver’s side pinning the vehicle in the grassy area to prevent it from getting back into the travel portion of Rt. 4. 

Once the vehicle was stopped, Cpl. Smith approached the driver’s side of the vehicle and observed an older white male operator that was incoherent and appeared to be suffering from a medical condition. Cpl. Smith asked the subject if he was diabetic and he said that he was.  EMS personnel from Dunkirk VFRS responded to the scene and rendered care to the subject.  The subject’s blood sugar had dropped to dangerously low levels, causing him to be unaware of his actions. The subject was transported to Calvert Memorial Hospital where he was evaluated and later released to family members.  

Due to this incident being declared a medical emergency, the driver will not be charged in this case. A request for reexamination of the operator’s privilege to drive was completed and forwarded to the Motor Vehicle Administration.