The driver of an ambulance was killed after the vehicle was involved in a head-on collision while traveling to an emergency call in Forsyth County Thursday morning.
According to a preliminary report from the Georgia State Patrol, a Central EMS Ambulance was responding at about 6:51 a.m. to an emergency call with flashing lights and sirens activated. The ambulance was traveling eastbound on Canton Highway when it drove into the center turn lane to pass stopped traffic.
A tractor-trailer driving in the westbound lane braked to yield for the ambulance, coming to a stop. A Ford Mustang driving behind the tractor-trailer was reportedly driving too closely and swerved into the center turn lane to avoid a collision.
The Mustang struck the ambulance head-on in the turn lane. A truck that was driving behind the Mustang was also struck as the Mustang rotated after the crash. Jason Shivers, Division Chief with the Forsyth County Fire Department, said the ambulance overturned and both occupants were trapped.
The driver of the ambulance, Gina Ayres, 57 of Cumming, and the driver of the Mustang, Blanco Fermin Rodolfo, 48, of Cumming, were both transported to North Fulton Hospital in critical condition. Ayres later died from her injuries at about 11:25 a.m.
No patients were on board the ambulance at the time of the accident. An EMT in the ambulance, Krisi Adams, 31, of Gainesville suffered minor injuries. The driver of the pickup truck, Gerald Steele, 58, of Cumming, also suffered minor injuries. Adams and Steele were also transported to North Fulton Hospital.
Charges against Rodolfo are pending further investigation.
The roadway was closed for about two hours.
