Ex-Morrisville Ambulance Execs To Plead Guilty: Report

MORRISVILLE, PA — Prosecutors in Bucks County have reached a plea deal with two former leaders of the Morrisville Ambulance Squad accused of stealing more than $130,000 from the now-defunct organization, according to published reports.

The Intelligencer reports that Brian Eckert, 41, of Langhorne, and Ruth "Roxy" Rookstool, 58, of Morrisville, will pay the money back to Morrisville and Falls Township, which funded the squad. Both also are expected to plead guilty to theft by unlawful taking, insurance fraud and conspiracy, deputy District Attorney Marc Furber told the paper.

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.

Eckert was chief and supervisor of the squad and Rookstool was its operations supervisor.

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.