Lancaster County Sheriff’s deputies searching for two dirt bikers who ‘purposefully’ slowed EMS car going to drowning child call
LANCASTER, S.C. (WBTV) -” 9-1-1 what’s your emergency. There’s a child that was in the water, parents are helping him. I don’t know what’s happening. Can you tell whether or not he’s breathing? I don’t know. Just send somebody”
A terrifying situation at a community pool in Indian Land in Lancaster County. A group of people worked to get a little boy breathing again, calling for first responders who did not show up for minutes. WBTV found out why it took so long for that EMS driver to get there.
Two dirt bikes driving in front of the emergency vehicle, blocking them from getting to the pool. The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office needs your help finding those riders.
The family says in this emergency, every second felt like hours so it was hard to tell how long time passed. But everyone at that scene knew something was wrong when it felt like forever for Medic to arrive. When it comes to getting help, you want it to come quickly, but in this situation, that did not happen.
”Seconds felt like hours and seconds matter. And a little boy needed help,” says one of several 911 callers. ”There were responders there that kept shouting where is medic, where is Medic?
This call came in this past Saturday, August 20. It involved what is called a quick response vehicle or a QRV which is basically an SUV that gets medic there even quicker than an ambulance. EMS workers were on the way but deputies say two dirt bikers slowed that help down on Harrisburg Rd near Calvin Hall Rd in the Indian Land area. In dash cam video, you can see the bikers driving in front of the EMS car, deputies say purposefully getting in its way.
”It’s disgusting honestly. How could you sleep at night? They were intentionally messing with them to prevent them from their purpose. It’s enough to make you feel violent,” says the caller.
Unfortunately, though, EMS Field Training Coordinator Brian Collins says this is all too common.
”It’s frustrating. Because when we talk to our people and we talk to the public we talk about time being essential,” he explains.
Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office says it not only kept EMS from getting to where they needed to go, but it was also just downright dangerous for all the other cars on the road.
”Just bad at every level. Nothing good about it at all,” says LCSO spokesperson Doug Barfield.
In the dashcam video, you can see how the dirt bike drivers even kept other cars from doing the lawful action, moving out of the way.
”These two knuckleheads on motorcycles that are just weaving in and out of everybody. They’re just like what do I do, where do I go?” he says.
The 911 caller says thankfully enough medically trained people came together to care for that little boy. Although, they called several times wanting to make sure medic was coming since it was taking so long.
”If any one of those things wasn’t there, the fact that EMS was delayed, we would have a completely different ending to that story,” the caller shares.
And for those driving on the road and seeing that emergency vehicle in your rearview, a message from Collins.
”If everyone put themselves in the position that, this could be their family member we are trying to get to, what would you want a person whose in that spot to do,” he says.
Lancaster Sheriff’s Office says these two will be charged with failure to yield to emergency vehicles, failure to stop for blue lights, reckless driving among other charges as they continue to investigate.
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