Driver Refuses To Move For LI Ambulance, Hits Ambulance With Pipe: PD

JAMESPORT, NY — A dump truck driver was arrested Thursday after he refused to give the right of way to an ambulance on the way to a 911 call in Jamesport — and then began striking the ambulance with a metal pipe, police said.

According to Riverhead Town police, the incident took place at about 9:18 a.m. A 911 call came in about an elderly man in need of medical assistance at a residence in the Jamesport area, police said.

In addition to uniformed patrol officers being dispatched to the scene, Riverhead Volunteer Ambulance Corps were notified and a crew responded, as well.

While en route to the scene, the Riverhead ambulance — with its lights and siren activated — was traveling southbound on West Street in South Jamesport and attempted to make a left turn onto East Second Stree in order to proceed east toward the aided case, police said.

At the same time, a large dump truck was attempting to make a right turn from East Second Street onto West Street northbound, police said.

The ambulance could not make the turn onto East Second Street and the driver of the ambulance motioned for the driver of the truck to back the vehicle up so that the ambulance could proceed, police said.

The driver of the truck refused to move the truck and, instead, became involved in a verbal dispute over which vehicle had the right of way at the intersection, police said.

The driver of the truck exited his vehicle and continued the verbal argument, and then got back into the truck and began inching his truck toward the side of the ambulance, police said.

The driver of the ambulance took evasive measures and drove up onto a nearby property and around the truck, police said.

The verbal argument continued and the driver of the truck exited his vehicle and ran toward the ambulance, holding a metal pipe, police said.

As he approached the driver's side of the ambulance, the male began striking the rear portion of the ambulance, causing damage to the body of the vehicle, police said.

The ambulance driver flagged down a uniformed officer and advised him of the situation, police said.

The driver of the truck, Hamlet O. Ramirez, 26, of the Bronx was arrested at the scene and transported to the Riverhead Police Department, where he was held for arraignment on charges of second-degree obstructing governmental administration, second-degree menacing, fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, and fourth-degree criminal mischief, police said.