** Florida medic resigns days after being arrested on drug charges
** New Mexico air ambulance crew killed in crash identified
UNITED STATES NEWS
** A Florida paramedic, already on suspension after being arrested on drug charges, has quit. That is the word from the Tampa Bay Times (July 16) which said Largo resident James A. Comer, 38, tendered his resignation Wednesday. According to the newspaper, Comer was on paid leave pending the resolution of his legal case. Arrested after an undercover operation, he has been tagged with the sale of a controlled substance x 8 and possession of a controlled substance x 8. At the time of his arrest, 184 pills of OxyContin, hydromorphone, and morphine were found on his person.
** Funeral services are pending for three crew members of a New Mexico air ambulance that crashed in the early morning hours Thursday. The Santa Fe News (Robert Nott/July 18) said the aircraft was with TriState Care Flight based out of Arizona. According to the newspaper, the 2:48 a.m. mishap occurred in the eastern part of the state near Newkirk in a rock strewn mesa. The cause of the crash has not yet been determined but high winds and low clouds were known to be present at the time. The chopper, which was destroyed by flames following the accident, was en route to a patient pickup at the time and did not issue any distress calls. Among the dead is Rio Rancho flight paramedic/nurse Rebecca Serkley, 29, Rio Rancho pilot David Cavigneaux, 46, and Albuquerque base manager James Butler, 46. Both the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are investigating.
