On-duty FL cop fails to help off-duty officer with CPR on crash victims
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In light of the recent case in DC where firefighters failed to provide help to a dying man across the street from the firehouse, this story reported Thursday by WFOR-TV in Miami about a Florida police officer failing to perform CPR at a double fatal car crash is quite interesting.
The car wreck occurred on October 16, 2013. It killed University of Miami graduate students, Ying Chen and Hao Liu. Javier Ortiz, an off-duty Miami Police Department sergeant, was on the scene first. Ortiz had a defibrillator in his car and checked both victims, beginning CPR on the female. The first arriving on-duty officer was from the Village of Pinecrest.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4SZJeSfxsA
Ortiz says he asked Officer Ana Carrasco for help, requesting she begin CPR on the male victim. Carrasco did not respond to the request by Ortiz.
The TV station found that an internal investigation determined that Carrasco failed to render aid at the accident scene. The proposed punishment is a one week suspension, which Ortiz says is too lenient. Carrasco’s chief can increase that punishment.
“I got no response. She just stood there,” added Ortiz.
The dash camera video showed the officer standing with her hands in her pockets watching Ortiz try to help the stricken female student.
Ortiz said he begged her to help.
“I said it again and again and again,” Ortiz said. “There were people, civilians, yelling at her to please do something and she did absolutely nothing.”
A recording of Carrasco’s statement says, “I actually made a visual assesment on the male facing down. I didn’t see him breathing I didn’t see his lungs or chest expanding or any signs of life.”
Later she said, “Based on my training, education, experience I was concerned flipping the male victim over. I was concerned it could cause cervical or spinal injury and maybe kill him. I don’t know if he’s dead or not. I run back to my car to see if I have more gloves to see if I can search for any vital signs at that time rescue arrived.”
