By Laura French
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Mo. — A Missouri paramedic is now paralyzed after suffering a spinal cord injury in an ambulance crash that also injured a 39-year veteran EMS captain and a patient.
Joachim-Plattin Ambulance District Paramedic Erik Bedwell, 27, was in the back of the rig at the time of the crash on Sunday and Capt. Greg Maguire was driving, Joachim-Plattin EMS Administrator Curt Stueve told KSDK.
Bedwell’s spinal cord was severed, causing him to be paralyzed from the waist down, Stueve said. Maguire also suffered a spinal injury and a concussion, and is expected to be released from the hospital in a few days after undergoing a successful surgery.
Tmrw is a big day for Paramedic Erik Bedwell as he heads to @CraigHospital to continue his physical rehab/recovery. Erik suffered paralysis when his ambulance was struck by a #drunkdriver on July 12. His incredibly cheerful and determined attitude inspires us all. @AMR_Social pic.twitter.com/sLv14WPL1I
— David K. Tan, M.D. (@papatan911) August 5, 2020
The crash caused the patient who was being transported at the time to suffer a fractured pelvis, officials said.
Investigators said the crash was caused when another driver, a 60-year-old woman whose name was not reported, swerved across lanes and struck the rig on its left side. The woman was moderately injured in the collision and arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. Charges have not yet been filed in the case.
Bedwell joined the Joachim-Plattin Ambulance District last year, Stueve said, and Maguire has been a member of the department for nearly 40 years.
A recovery fund has been set up at First State Community Bank to assist both injured paramedics. The department outlined how donations can be made physically or electronically in a Facebook post on Tuesday.