Here is a good one

[Guest guest]

Do you ever wonder why we are not respected in the medical community?

This article is from www.kabb.com, the Fox network in San .

A pot bust in County this week that sounds like a scene from an old

Cheech and Chong movie. Two ambulance drivers apparently on break and shopping

at a Wal-Mart store in ville, south of San , wind up in handcuffs

after an off-duty trooper detects the odor of marijuana. Apollo Ambulances are a

familiar sight in County. They transport elderly patients, trauma

patients and others to Connally Memorial Hospital in ville every day. So

when an off-duty state trooper shopping at the Wal-Mart store thought he picked

up the pungent odor of pot on a guy in uniform Monday evening, he recognized

right away who the guy worked for, Apollo Ambulance Company. In fact, the

ambulance was right outside in the parking lot. ny Deagen, County

Sheriff's Office: " From there he got a consent to search the ambulance,

discovered a marijuana pipe with marijuana and a bag of marijuana inside the

ambulance. " Ambulance drivers Jessie and Mark

, both of ville, had apparently just made a transport to the

local hospital fifteen minutes before, and were apparently still on duty.

Deagen: " The nurse there after the last run, she'd written down the ambulance

driver's cell number on her hand that way she could call him and have him on

runs for the night. So, it's our understanding that they were on duty for the

rest of the night. " Both and spent the rest of night in jail

however, charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana. And though

administrators at Connally were unavailable for comment, hospital business with

Apollo, a private ambulance contractor, is now in jeopardy according to a

hospital source. No one the slightest bit amused at the alleged hijinks of two

regulars at the hospital ER. The news was no laughing matter to other EMTs in

County. Schriber, Eagle Creek Volunteer Fire Department: " People's

lives depend on the paramedics, especially for the proper drug calculations,

the dosages and all that they have to figure out. And they have to be clear

thinking at all times. Under the influence of drugs, alcohol or whatever, it

can't happen. " Apollo refused to comment on the arrest, only to deny police

reports that and are actually owners of the company. A hospital

source says Apollo averages about fifteen transports of patients each day to

Connally. Those runs are being re-assigned to other ambulance companies.

Danny Denson, EMT-P

Karnes County EMS

Karnes City, Texas

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