Two injured when ambulance flips

Local News

September 22, 2009

T. J. ROYAL

Two Edgecombe County Rescue Squad personnel were treated for minor injuries, after their ambulance flipped on its side responded to a call early Monday morning.

Crystal Vardin, 31, of Tarboro, and Rhonda Wilder, 35, of Battleboro, were both taken to Heritage Hospital in Tarboro, where they were treated for minor injuries and later released, said N.C. Highway Patrol Trooper Cecil Williams.

Williams said the two were responding to an emergency call on Stallings Road before 2 a.m. Monday, when Vardin, who was driving, lost control of the ambulance the two responders were traveling in.

The trooper said they approached a curve on Stallings Road going around 75 mph in a 55 mph zone, with Vardin initially running off the right side of the road. She then overcorrected to the left, crossed the center line, ran off the left side of the road and rolled the ambulance onto its left side.

Williams said the ambulance did not completely overturn, but slid several feet off the road while on its side. He estimated the damage to the vehicle at around $12,000, because much of it was made of aluminum and had to have special work done to it in order to be properly repaired.

Vardin was not cited for speeding. Williams added that he did not know what type of emergency call the two were responding to.