Bethel Park man charged in ambulance hit-and-run

BETHEL PARK, Pa. — A Bethel Park man is facing several charges, accused of hitting an ambulance and fleeing the scene.

According to court documents, the emergency vehicle had its lights and sirens activated while responding to a medical call around 6:30 p.m. Nov. 28. Medics were traveling west on South Park Road through the intersection with Logan Road when, suddenly, the ambulance was struck by the driver of a Jeep.

That driver, identified as Timothy Smith, had reportedly traveled around a stopped car before crashing into the rear of the emergency vehicle.

No one was hurt.

Bethel Park Police put a plea out on Facebook to identify the driver.

Smith reportedly turned himself in to officers within a couple of days, claiming that he never saw or heard the ambulance and that he had called his insurance company to claim the ambulance hit him.

Court documents said Smith “indicated that he pulled over but that the ambulance went on without stopping.”

According to police, video was obtained of the crash, and the investigation revealed a different story.

“The ambulance slows to a stop and immediately pulls to the right of the roadway and summons police to the scene,” documents said. “[Smith] fails to stop and flees the scene without any attempt to make contact with the ambulance.”

Channel 11 visited the address listed for Smith on the criminal complaint for comment, but no one came to the door.

Neighbors told Channel 11 that the intersection is dangerous, and drivers frequently speed and even drive onto their properties.

Smith is due in court in February.

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