Trooper, Paramedic Fight Caught on Tape Posted: May 26, 2009 9:18 PM CDT Updated: May 27, 2009 9:39 PM CDT FEATURED VIDEO First Responders, Trooper Clash Caught on Tape OHP Trooper Scuffles with Paramedic A trooper scolds the driving paramedic for not yielding to their vehicle. The paramedic argues they were trying to avoid hitting a car and wasn't aware of the troopers' oncoming vehicles. An OHP Trooper tries to restrain the paramedic. OHP claims the paramedics assaulted the troopers, but it was not caught on tape. By Dave Jordan, NEWS 9 PADEN, Oklahoma -- An Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper and a paramedic were caught on tape scuffling Sunday while a patient was being taken to the hospital. The fight happened on Highway 62, near Paden, after a OHP and first responders argued over a close call on the road. OHP alleges that one of the paramedics on the video assaulted the trooper, but the assault was not caught on tape. "We're like trying to tell the guy, 'Dude, my mom is in the back,' and my stepdad was like, 'My wife is in the back. Can we do this at the hospital?'" said Kenyada Davis. Kenyada Davis' mother was the woman in the back of the ambulance being treated for heat exhaustion. He was able to shoot the altercation with his cell phone's camera. Davis said it all started because the ambulance failed to yield to OHP troopers, who were en route to a call along highway 62 in Paden. Davis said the driver of the ambulance was trying to avoid hitting a car that slowed down and wasn't aware of troopers nearby until it was too late. "He slowed down, and as the car was getting over, that's when he passed us," Davis said. "I didn't hear him." But after OHP troopers finished their official business, they pulled the Creek Nation ambulance over. One of the troopers chided Paul for failing to yield. Once the ambulance was pulled over, Davis pulled out his phone and shot video of the scene. Watch the full video of the altercation between the trooper and first responders. http://www.news9.com/Global/category.asp?C=116601&autoS... youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KluItc365hU According to the OHP, the paramedics assaulted the trooper just before the fight broke out. "It didn't look like it was being handled very well, at least form the tape I saw from the troopers' standpoint," said NEWS 9 Legal Analyst Irven Box. The entire scene, including the alleged assault was captured on dash cam video and has not been released. The Okfuskee County District Attorney's office is reviewing all of the footage and could file criminal charges against the paramedic by the end of the week. http://www.ktul.com/news/stories/0509/626636.html EMT In Confrontation With Trooper Speaks Out Okmulgee - An Emergency Medical Technician who was involved in a scuffle with an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper is speaking out about the incident. Maurice White, Jr. is a critical care paramedic with the Creek Nation EMS. He was nearly arrested after the confrontation, which was captured by the cell phone of Kenyada Davis. Paul Franks was the driver of the ambulance, which was transporting a patient to a hospital in Prague. White says he saw the trooper approaching from behind at a high rate of speed with lights activated, but he did not hear a siren. He says Franks had a car in front of him that his attention was focused on and hadn't seen the trooper before he was within a few feet of the ambulance. "I called out to my partner and told him to pull to the side because there was a State Trooper behind us," White says. White says as the trooper passed them, he made radio contact, telling Franks "you should consider checking your rearview mirrors". White says a few blocks after this incident, another trooper entered the road at a high rate of speed, cutting in front of a car driven by a family member of the patient. White says he then saw another trooper approaching from the rear. "As my partner was pulling onto the shoulder, the cruiser came alongside our unit and gestured for my driver to pull over," White says. "When the officer came to a complete stop behind the ambulance, I noticed a woman in the front seat. Based on the officer's erratic driving behavior, I thought that the woman in the front seat of the cruiser was in need of immediate medical attention; hence I exited the rear of the ambulance in order to assess the situation." White says the officer was in a rage when he approached them and yelled "get your a-- back here! I am giving you a ticket for failure to yield." White says he told the trooper they had a patient in the ambulance and that they were on their way to the hospital. "He ignored my statement, became even more belligerent, and demanded my partner come to his patrol car so he could write him a ticket," White says. "I calmly told the officer that we were transporting a patient and we could continue this at the hospital." White says the trooper then approached him and shouted "you are under arrest for obstructing a police officer" and grabbed his arm to handcuff him. A brief struggle followed, at which point the trooper grabbed White by the throat. The cell phone captured this incident on video. White says the trooper later told him they could continue on to the hospital, but that he would be under arrest once they got there. White was never arrested, but says troopers told him he should be prepared to turn himself in if a warrant was issued http://www.ktul.com/news/stories/0509/626636.html
