Ambulance Hit While Responding to Heart Attack Victim in the Middle of the Highway

A Fayette County EMS ambulance got in a wreck responding to a heart attack call in Schulenburg on Saturday morning, Sept. 18.

The incident unfolded shortly before 10:30 a.m. on Saturday. According to Schulenburg Police Chief Troy Brenek, an unidentified pedestrian collapsed in the middle of the intesrction of US 77 and College Street while walking from City Market to Kountry Bakery. Officer Juan Castilleja responded and began performing CPR on the man. Schulenburg Volunteer Fire Department also responded and assisted with blocking traffic on the busy highway.

A 2020 Ram 4500 Ambulance belonging to Fayette County EMS was responding to the scene at US 77 and College Street when the crash occurred. A report from the Texas Department of Public Safety said the ambulance was heading north on Upton Street near Mi Casita Restaurant. The report said the ambulance’s lights and sirens were activated. A silver 2017 Chevy Malibu driven by 75-year-old William Edward Wilkes was heading east on US 90.

The report said Wilkes failed to stop for the ambulance at the intersection of US 90 and Upton Street. The Chevy struck the back left of the ambulance. Wilkes suffered injuries. An ambulance from Colorado County EMS transported him to Columbus Community Hospital.

The driver of the ambulance, 37-year-old Nathan Lee Crowley of La Grange, and his partner 32-year-old Trent Daniel Schielak were not injured.

Brenek reported that the man who collapsed at US 77 and College Street was taken by ambulance but he later succumbed to a heart attack. Brenek said the man was not from the local area, but he did not know his name or where he was from.