Two-Hour Rescue Operation After Medical Episode Leads to Ambulance Collision
photos courtesy of Ramsey Rescue
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ramsey NJ, A routine Saturday morning commute turned into a complex rescue operation in Bergen County this weekend. At approximately 6:10 a.m. on March 7, 2026, emergency crews rushed to Route 17 North in Ramsey, NJ, following reports of a high-impact collision involving a pickup truck and an ambulance.
The Cause: A Medical Emergency Behind the Wheel
According to Ramsey Police Detective Jaclyn Sabatelli, the accident was triggered when a 66-year-old driver from Congers, NY, suffered a medical episode while driving his Chevy pickup truck.
In a disorienting turn of events, the truck was traveling southbound in the northbound lanes of Route 17 when it struck a Kiryas Joel ambulance head-on.
The Rescue: Two Hours of Entrapment
The impact was severe, leaving the ambulance heavily damaged and resulting in an entrapment that required the specialized skills of Ramsey Rescue and local police. Responders spent nearly two hours at the scene navigating the wreckage and ensuring all parties were safely extricated.
Key Incident Details:
Location: Route 17 North, Ramsey, NJ (Bergen County)
Time: Approximately 6:10 a.m., Saturday, March 7
Vehicles: Chevy Pickup Truck vs. Kiryas Joel Ambulance
Status: The ambulance was not in service; no patients were on board.
The Outcome: A Lucky Escape
Despite the significant vehicle damage visible in photos from the scene, officials confirmed there were no significant injuries reported. The driver of the pickup was treated for the initial medical episode, and the ambulance crew escaped what could have been a much more tragic encounter.
Traffic on Route 17 North was impacted for several hours as crews cleared the debris, but the roadway has since returned to normal operations.
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I had to laugh at the ‘not in service no patients aboard’.
Why would an ambulance only have a driver solo without an EMT attendant? (before or after patient pickup/dropoff?)
Why are these ambulances blasting up and down RT 17 many times per day, with lights/sirens?
“IF” a patient from Orange County area needed medical attention, the closest hospital would be in Suffern NY. “IF” a patient was simply a hospital transfer, lights/sirens are unnecessary.
I heard that ‘allegedly’ that these are being used simply as taxis…
As soon as i saw the article, I knew what it was……………………KJ
How many people were seen running away from the scene before the cops showed up?
I won’t pull over for these ambulances.