BY RACHEL DOVE
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

CATLETTSBURG — A Pikeville man employed by NetCare Ambulance Service was arrested early Saturday morning in Boyd County after crashing an ambulance with a patient on board.

According to the criminal complaint filed by the Boyd County Sheriff’s Department, Patrick Jarrell, 38, was operating the ambulance in the 13000 block of U.S. 23 near Catlettsburg at approximately 1:40 a.m. when he lost control, causing the ambulance to flip and roll over once.

An EMT and a patient were in the ambulance at the time of the crash, but no injuries were reported.

The police report states that while questioning the driver about what caused him to lose control, Jarrell claimed to have swerved to avoid hitting a deer. Officer said as the interview progressed, the driver changed his story and wasn’t consistent.

Deputies said Jarrell appeared to be groggy, and his eyelids were drooping.

According to officers, Jarrell eventually admitted to taking unidentified medication before receiving the call for transport.

Jarrell allegedly told officers he had attempted to refuse the call as he wasn’t sure he could safely handle it but was told by dispatch that no one else was available and that he had to transport the patient.

The ambulance driver failed to complete a series of field sobriety tests at the scene. He was arrested and consented to bloodwork and a toxicology screen at a local hospital. Results are pending.

Jarrell was lodged in the Boyd County Detention Center awaiting arraignment.

According to Boyd County Sheriff Bobby Woods, additional charges could be added once the investigation is complete.