An ambulance from the St. Charles County Ambulance District was carrying a patient Monday evening when it crashed at the intersection of Highway 94 and Highway J near Portage Des Sioux, according to the department. The crash happened at approximately 6:30 p.m., with the ambulance's lights and sirens activated at the time of impact. The patient had to be transferred to another crew to continue to the hospital, and both the paramedics and the driver who struck the ambulance suffered injuries.
The St. Charles County Ambulance District confirmed the crash occurred while the ambulance was en route with a patient aboard, as reported by First Alert 4. The department said the ambulance's emergency lights and sirens were on when the collision happened at the rural intersection. Additional SCCAD units and staff responded to the scene, along with police, to manage the aftermath and keep the patient's care moving.
Patient Switched to Another Crew, Driver Hospitalized
Another SCCAD crew arrived to take over transport of the patient, the outlet's report states. The driver who struck the ambulance suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to an area hospital by a separate unit. The paramedics aboard the ambulance also sustained injuries, though theirs were described as minor, according to the department.
Missouri Law on Yielding to Emergency Vehicles
Missouri law spells out what drivers are supposed to do when an emergency vehicle like an ambulance approaches with its siren or qualifying warning lights on. Under RSMo Section 304.022, drivers of other vehicles must yield the right-of-way, pull as far as possible to the right side of the road, and come to a stop, remaining there until the emergency vehicle has passed unless a police or traffic officer directs otherwise.
Not the First Close Call for an SCCAD Crew
This isn't the first time an SCCAD ambulance has been caught up in a serious wreck. In a 2024 incident described by the St. Charles County Ambulance District, one of its advanced life support units was struck from behind at a high rate of speed on northbound Highway 21 south of Hillsboro in Jefferson County after the crew had recently completed a patient transport to a memory care facility. In that case, the two paramedics on board were restrained and walked away without injuries, though one person involved in the crash suffered serious injuries and was treated by SCCAD paramedics before care was handed off to Valle Ambulance District personnel. Valle Ambulance District, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Hillsboro Fire Protection District all responded to that scene.
No further details have been released about Monday's crash near Portage Des Sioux, including the identities of those involved or the patient's condition after being transferred to the second ambulance crew.
