Monday, July 6, 2009

** UK emergency ambulance operator fields call from distraught fan over pop star’s death

** California medic accused of raping hospital patient

UNITED KINGDOM NEWS

** Ambulance brass in Swindon are still shaking their heads in disbelief, after an ambulance operator fielded an emergency call from a Michael Jackson fan alerting them to his death. The Mirror (July 3) said the incident, which occurred the day after Jackson died, took place in the early morning and was fuelled by the apparent grief of the caller. Emergency care practitioner Ben Jones said he was puzzled as to what aid the help hailer thought emergency services could render to the US singer. Police, meanwhile, took steps to head off further abuses by reminding the public 999 was only for genuine crises.

UNITED STATES NEWS

** Authorities in Mission Viejo, California have arrested a local EMT for allegedly raping an intoxicated hospital patient. The Orange County Register (Salvador Hernandez/June 26) said police have used DNA evidence to connect medic Jessie Karim Pena, 31, to the woman in question. Pena was arrested June 25, appearing in court the following Monday. According to the newspaper, the incident took place February 20. The woman told investigators she could not resist Pena’s advances due to the drugs she had ingested.