Ambulance driver fined over red-light death crash

Sean Crangle's ambulance ploughed into a van driven by Francis Goodwin in Glasgow's west end in July last year.

He had driven through a red light, but had not seen Mr Goodwin's vehicle as it was obscured by a petrol tanker.

Crangle and colleagues attempted to help the 50-year-old, but he died later in hospital.

Crangle - who was serving his probation with the Scottish Ambulance Service at the time of the accident - yesterday admitted careless driving.

His lawyer told Glasgow Sheriff Court Crangle, 27, had been left devastated because his father had also died following a car accident when he was a child.

Crangle escaped a driving ban and was instead fined 500 with six points on his licence.

The court heard that the paramedic had been driving in Westland Drive, Jordanhill, on the way to a 999 call at around 4am on 27 July last year.

At the same time, Mr Goodwin was on adjacent Victoria Park Drive South, where he started to overtake a petrol tanker driven by John Gibson.

Crangle then made his way through a red light on to Victoria Park Drive South with his blue lights on, but no sirens.

Mr Gibson slowed his vehicle to allow the ambulance to pass.

However, Crangle was not aware of the Royal Mail van because his view was blocked by the tanker.

Mr Goodwin did not see the ambulance and they collided.

The court heard Crangle's ambulance flipped on to its side, while the Royal Mail van crashed into the tanker before coming to a halt.

Mr Goodwin, of Kelvindale, Glasgow, was found slumped in his vehicle as Crangle and colleagues went to attend to him.

He appeared to be breathing, but, after being taken to hospital, died due to his injuries.

Traffic police investigated the scene and reconstructed the accident. They found that the "majority of blame" fell upon Crangle, of Alloway Avenue, Paisley, and that he should have been "more cautious".

The officers added that while his job allowed him to go through red traffic lights, he failed that morning to ensure his path was clear before doing so.

It was also accepted that Mr Goodwin might not have been wearing his seat belt.

Allan MacLeod, defending, yesterday said Crangle was still with the ambulance service, but that the tragedy had left a "heavy burden".

The advocate added that the emergency call he had been attending turned out to be bogus.

Mr MacLeod went on: "There are a lot of ifs, buts and maybes. However, if that crank call had not been made, Sean Crangle would not have been there that morning.

"But he still has to accept that his moment of carelessness caused this incident."

Sheriff Brian Adair was handed a clutch of character references on behalf of the medic.

His aunt - Morag Chalmers - wrote that Crangle had lost his father in a car accident 16 years ago and that Mr Goodwin's death had left "a profound effect".

A jail term was not an option yesterday due to the nature of the charge, but Crangle could still have been banned from the road.

Sheriff Adair instead imposed the fine and six points after he said he taken into account the accused's remorse and previous good character.

A fatal accident inquiry is expected to take place at a later date.