2nd Ex-Ambulance Official Charged With Theft

MORRISVILLE, PA — Two former officials with the now-defunct Morrisville Ambulance Squad now have been charged with stealing more than $130,000 from the government-funded outfit.

Ruth "Roxy" Rookstool, 58, was arraigned Tuesday on felony charges of theft, receiving stolen property, identity theft, forgery, computer crimes and criminal conspiracy in the case. Rookstool, of Morrisville, was the operations supervisor of the ambulance squad.

Her arraignment comes days after Brian Michael Eckert, 41, of Falls Township, was arraigned on similar charges. Eckert was chief of the ambulance squad.

The Morrisville Ambulance Squad was contracted by Morrisville Borough and Falls Township to respond to 911 and other calls. It was funded primarily by taxpayer money from the two governments.

Prosecutors say Bucks County detectives were alerted to investigate by members of the ambulance squad and began investigating in July.

According to an affidavit of charges in the case, Eckert is alleged to have stolen a total of $30,785.44 via insurance fraud, direct stealing, fake reimbursements and other methods. Rookstool is accused of stealing $101,634.55.

The theft happened between 2011 and March 2018, according to the Bucks County District Attorney's office.

Investigators say money from the squad's M&T Bank account was used for such expenses as an ambulance company employee's honeymoon, to pay Eckert's credit card bills and his Amazon Prime membership and an animal hospital visit.

Rookstool is also alleged to have reimbursed herself thousands of more dollars than she should have gotten for using her personal credit card to buy stamps and other items for the company.

The two also are accused of conspiring to enroll Rookstool in health and dental insurance polices at a time when she wasn't working for the company. During that time, Morrisville Ambulance Squad paid about $27,000 in insurance premiums and insurance companies paid out more than $65,000 in claims.

Rookstool turned herself in on Tuesday morning and District Judge John DUrkin set her bail at $50,000, unsecured. Eckert was released last week on $30,000 unsecured bail.

Photos courtesy Bucks County District Attorney's office