A Portland man is facing multiple charges after police say he struck a parked ambulance that was actively treating a patient on West Market Street and then kept driving, even though his license had already been revoked following a fourth DUI conviction. Joe Bradley of Portland was stopped a short distance away by a Portland Animal Control officer who had witnessed the collision, according to the Portland Police Department.
Emergency medical personnel were on scene responding to an active medical emergency and providing care to a patient inside the ambulance when the vehicle struck it, according to a statement from the Portland TN Police Department posted to Facebook. The ambulance had its emergency equipment activated at the time. A Portland Animal Control officer told police she watched the vehicle strike the parked ambulance and continue driving before she was able to stop it before it left the area.
Portland Police Department Traffic Unit officers who investigated the collision found that vehicles involved sustained only minor damage. Bradley reportedly told officers he did not believe the collision was a significant matter, describing the ambulance as hogging the road, per the same police statement.
A License Already Revoked Over a Fourth DUI
According to police, Bradley's driver's license had been revoked because of his fourth DUI offense. Tennessee classifies a fourth or subsequent DUI conviction as a Class E felony, carrying a mandatory minimum of 150 consecutive days in jail, fines up to $15,000, and an eight-year license revocation, according to Summers Rufolo & Rodgers.
Driving on a license revoked for a DUI-related offense in Tennessee carries its own mandatory minimum sentence of two days to six months in jail, along with fines up to $1,000 for the Class B misdemeanor, per FindLaw. Separately, Tennessee law also allows a vehicle operated by someone driving on a DUI-related revocation to be seized and subjected to civil forfeiture by law enforcement, according to Collins Legal. It remains unclear whether Bradley's vehicle was seized under that provision.
Charges Stack Up From Move Over Law to Insurance
Police say Bradley was charged with driving on a revoked license, leaving the scene of a property damage crash, violation of the Move Over Law, failure to exercise due care, and violation of the financial responsibility law after he reportedly could not provide proof of insurance for the vehicle. Tennessee's Move Over Law makes failing to yield or slow for an active emergency vehicle a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of $250 to $500 and up to 30 days in jail for a first offense, according to guidance from the Tennessee Department of Transportation.
Leaving the scene of a crash involving property damage is a Class B misdemeanor carrying up to six months in jail and a $500 fine when damage is $1,500 or less, but the charge escalates to a Class A misdemeanor if damage exceeds that threshold, per Justia Law. Police have not released an estimated dollar figure for the damage to the ambulance, so it is not yet clear which classification applies. Operating a vehicle without proof of insurance is a Class C misdemeanor in Tennessee, punishable by a fine of up to $300 along with license suspension and potential towing of the vehicle, according to The Williams Firm.
The failure to exercise due care charge stems from a state statute requiring drivers to maintain a safe lookout, keep their vehicle under control, and devote full attention to the road to avoid colliding with parked vehicles or objects, according to Justia Law. A conviction on that charge adds three to four points to a driver's record under the Tennessee Department of Safety's penalty schedule.
What Happens Next
Bradley has an initial court appearance scheduled for September 11 at 10 a.m. at the Sumner County General Sessions Court, located at 155 East Main Street in Gallatin. Police emphasized that the charges and allegations against Bradley are accusations of criminal conduct rather than evidence, and that he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt through due process.
The condition of the patient who was being treated inside the ambulance at the time of the collision has not been disclosed. Sumner County Emergency Medical Services provides around-the-clock emergency care across the county's 543 square miles, operating units that serve Portland and surrounding Middle Tennessee communities.
