According to a report from Daily Press, a 33-year veteran of the Barstow (CA) Fire Protection District (BFPD) was in critical condition after being struck by a vehicle at the scene of a motor vehicle accident early Sunday morning.
BFPD Captain Travis Espinoza said that Engineer David Spink underwent emergency surgery at Loma Linda University Medical Center several hours after being airlifted there in critical condition. His current condition is unknown.
Spink and two BFPD engine company members were responding to a traffic accident around 3:30 a.m. on Interstate 15, near the area where it crosses above L Street, considered a “very bad spot” for first responders to work in, said Espinoza.
Spink was in the road, treating patients involved in the accident, when a “fast-moving vehicle” struck him on the freeway, Espinoza said.
No other firefighters or bystanders were injured, and Spink’s engine partners initiated life-saving measures immediately as well as requested additional resources, which arrived quickly as other BFPD personnel were already en route to help secure the original crash scene.
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) and Barstow Police Department are now investigating the incident.
The driver of the vehicle that struck Spink remained on scene, and no arrests have been made. In an e-mail, CHP spokesman Bradley Walters called it an unfortunate accident, and the driver was not being malicious when his car hit Spink.
The San Bernardino County Fire Department, City of Victorville Fire Department, and Apple Valley Fire Protection District are now providing mutual-aid station coverage.
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