Father Faces Felony Charges For Rushing To Injured Daughter's Side

[ChoralScholar]

http://www.wftv.com/irresistible/9160265/detail.html

NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. -- A panicked father who pushed past rescue workers to get to his injured daughter at the scene of a car crash now faces felony charges.

Karl Swanson of Holiday, Fla., told the St. Petersburg Times he got a call from his daughter's cell phone late Tuesday: "Listen," the caller said, "your daughter's been in a terrible accident. She's in critical condition. It doesn't look good."

Florida Highway Patrol troopers said the 48-year-old anesthesiologist drove into the accident scene, narrowly missing an emergency helicopter, then pushed past a trooper and a paramedic to get to his 18-year-old daughter's side.

Swanson was charged with battery on a law enforcement officer and battery on an emergency medical care provider. He is free on $10,000 bond.

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[Floogeldy]

1. Leave it to the professionals.

;)

[YellowRubberDuckie]

2. Wow. Prosecutors just love wasting tax dollars, don't they?

How can you hold a freaked out dad responsible for any of that? That's the dumbest shit I've ever heard.
Duckie

[ChoralScholar]

3. besides the fact that he was a doctor...

and probably the most qualified medical professional on the scene.

[Nailzberg]

6. You would think so, but it's not always the case.

I've had this conversation a few times with my father, who spent 34 years in the fire department.

At my father's department, doctors are almost always turned away from an traffic accident. The reason being, a doctor who has spent the last 20 years in say podiatry or anesthesiology, has little to no experience with the trauma injuries that the fire department paramedics see and treat on a daily basis.

The medical professions they invite in are those with trauma experience - ER physicians and nurses are golden. And of course, if there are too many victims for the amount of responders on scene, any extra medical help is welcomed in such a situation. But the paramedics would still take the most serious patients. They have the edge because they know what drugs and equipment are available on the rig. They have extensive training and experience in trauma medicine. And they've see it all enough times to not black out from shock at the sight of a car wreck victim, which apparently happened a few times with doctors at accident scenes in his town.



All that being said, where the hell does the prosecutor get off charging the poor guy? He shoved a cop out of the way, and drove recklessly. Did he knock him to the ground and then give him a few kicks to the ribs? Did he ram his car into the ambulance? The prosecutor must not have children, what kind of person can't excuse his actions as those of panic and grief? It's a father rushing to the side of his daughter for chrissake?!?!

[valerief]

4. Whoever let those charges be filed should get some shite for it from

local residents.

[sendero]

5. Everyone involved in filing..

... those charges ought to get a punch in the nose. And then fired from their jobs. They are idiots, suitable for pumping gas or selling donuts. No wait, they aren't smart enough for that.

[Solon]

7. Like he would get convicted...

Let's see, severe emotional distress is a valid defense in this situation, unless he was drinking or beat some of these guys to a pulp. Other than that, there are too many defenses for him to even get extended jail time, assuming he doesn't plead out, which is a distinct possiblity.