Published on Wednesday, June 21, 2006
in the Venice Gondolier

Man risks life to save rescue workers

A North Port man might have saved the lives of rescue workers by risking his own.

A red Mustang riding in the middle of Interstate 75 was heading for a disaster. Three miles in front of him was an accident that occurred only a half an hour before, and rescue workers were working the scene. Traffic was stopped.

Robert Richmond, 33, of North Port was driving north on I-75 when he saw the red Mustang driving in both lanes before mile marker 200, north of Venice.

"The man driving the Mustang was going 55 mph, and was slumped over on the passenger side," Richmond said.

"At mile marker 200 I was able to get next to him. I honked my horn and rolled down my window and yelled to get his attention," said Richmond, who worked as a paramedic with New York City's fire department.

Richmond called the Florida Highway Patrol, and was told they were heading toward an accident where a truck was overturned 2 miles farther on. FHP told Richmond that traffic was stopped.

Richmond said the man, who looked to be in his 50s or 60s, seemed to be sweating, and his eyes looked "sluggish."

"I figured he was having a medical emergency," Richmond said.

Unable to get the man's attention, Richmond understood they were rapidly approaching the accident scene. Fearing for the safety of the rescue workers at the accident scene, Richmond decided to use his car to push the Mustang off the road.

"As soon as he hit the rumble strips, he sat upright and slowed his vehicle to about 10 mph," Richmond said.

Out of it

It was then Florida Highway Patrol trooper Charlie Maculloch started running along side the red Mustang.

"I told the driver to stop, and he failed to do so," said Maculloch, who was just informed by dispatch to be on the lookout for the red Mustang driving recklessly. "After asking him again and he failed to stop, I opened the passenger door."

Maculloch stopped the vehicle, about 50 yards from the accident scene.

Richmond said he pulled over and checked on the driver's well-being.

"He would have plowed through them (rescue workers)," Richmond said.

"He was alert, but could not answer questions correctly," Richmond said. "He was totally out of it."

Maculloch said the driver was taken to Doctor's Hospital in Sarasota.

Richmond, who works as an emergency room technician at Sarasota Memorial Hospital, stopped by the hospital to check on the driver.

"He was kind of thankful, but told me I cost him $2,000," Richmond said.

Maculloch also went to the hospital to speak with the driver.

"He told me that he was heavily medicated because of recent back surgeries," Maculloch said.

Maculloch said blood samples from the driver had been taken and the incident is under investigation.