A police report offers more details into the on-duty death of a Metropolitan Emergency Medical Services (MEMS) paramedic last month in Arkansas.
Dean Douglas was holding onto the roll cage while riding a bike to an emergency call at the Little Rock Marathon when he was pulled under the vehicle and fatally injured, according to the Arkansas Democrat Gazette. Douglas, 50, later died at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences from severe head trauma.
Douglas is the first MEMS responder killed in the line of duty since the organization was started nearly four decades ago. Gov. Asa Hutchinson ordered flags to be flown at half-staff throughout the state in honor of Douglas.
On Nov. 21, according to the report, Douglas and two others were dispatched to a call about a marathon runner in need of medical assistance prior to the race.
Jessica Whitener was driving the MEMS-owned utility vehicle about two blocks from the marathon course when the incident happened. Patrick Harwell was a passenger in the vehicle. Neither Whitener nor Harwell were hurt.
Douglas is survived by his wife, Brandy, and their three children, Bralee (Lindsey), Kameron and Mattie, according to his obituary.
“Dean will be remembered as always being very busy, never still. He had a particular passion for assisting schools, children’s groups, and EMT students, especially when it came to chartering, fundraising, and most importantly making sure everyone had food to eat,” his obituary read. “Dean loved taking cruises with his family when he slowed down enough to take his vacation.”
