Ex-firefighter delayed 999 ambulance
9:00am Tuesday 17th January 2012 in News
A RETIRED firefighter was fined after stopping an ambulance on a 999 call overtaking his car.
Reginald Jeyes, 72, had driven fire engines throughout his career, Colchester Magistrates’ Court heard. But he obstructed the ambulance while driving his mobility car in Mersea Road, Colchester.
Jeyes, of Melrose Road, West Mersea, was driving at about 45 mph when the ambulance, en route to West Mersea, tried to get past. It was on its way to support a paramedic. Russell Haldane, mitigating, said: “He was in a line of traffic, the ambulance approached with blue lights flashing and sirens.
“He did pass another vehicle, which slammed on the brakes, but he was short of doing the same himself. He accepts the right thing would have been to go on to the grass verge.” Described in court as “an upstanding individual” with 17 grandchildren, Jeyes passed his driving test 54 years ago and had a clean driving licence.
The court was told he was the registered carer for his wife.
Mr Haldane added: “He is a pillar of the community and it must have been a bad day for him. He is remorseful. His car is his lifeline.”
Jeyes, who admitted driving without reasonable consideration, was fined £250, with £80 costs. Five points were added to his driving licence.
District Judge David Cooper told Jeyes: “It is dispiriting to have someone like you before the courts. You have been a model citizen and it is such a shame.”
lA spokesman for the East of England Ambulance Service said later its records showed it was called to a serious incident, but no major delays were caused.
Duty operations manager Trevor Redburn added: “In north Essex, we receive almost 200 calls a day. Each of those callers deserves and receives an immediate response from our paramedic crews and control room staff.
“Any obstruction or unnecessary delay to any emergency ambulance can literally be a matter of life and death. I hope this gentleman now understands the importance of our work ”