Ambulance Driver in Abington Crash Fell Asleep at the Wheel, Police Say

The man who was driving a private ambulance that crashed Tuesday afternoon in the 1900 block of Old York Road in Abington apparently fell asleep behind the wheel, according to police.

According to the Abington Police accident report, the 23-year-old Philadelphia man driving the ambulance said he had been working long shifts and fell asleep as he was driving northbound on Old York Road at about 2:55 p.m. The man then crashed into a utility pole, flipping over the Keystone Quality-owned ambulance. The driver said his shift began at 11 a.m.

The driver and his passenger, a 21-year-old Philadelphia man, both exited the ambulance following the crash and spoke with police in a nearby parking lot. Both were transported by the Second Alarmers to Abington Memorial Hospital.

The passenger needed stitches under his left eye and had other minor injuries; the driver sustained minor injuries to both arms. Neither was wearing his seatbelt, according to the report. The ambulance was not transporting patients, though the passenger said he was looking at information pertaining to their next call shortly before the crash.

Old York Road was closed in both directions until about 10 p.m. while PECO restored power to local residents.

In addition to the utility pole, several road signs were knocked down and an electrical box used by the township for street lights was also damaged.

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Originally posted Sept. 4 at 2:59 p.m.