Pa. Crash Victim Tried to Steal Ambulance, Police Say

Aug. 07--A Derry man who allegedly attempted to drive away in an ambulance at a crash scene this week instead got a ride to the Westmoreland County Prison.

A paramedic was able to shove Bryan Douglas Gamble, 59, out of the ambulance, and firefighters wrestled him to the ground, according to court paperwork.

"The cleanup of the crash and normal flow of traffic was delayed by Gamble's actions," Trooper Laken Cunningham wrote in an affidavit of probable cause.

Gamble was a passenger in a 2015 Chevrolet Cobalt driven by Clara J. Gamble, 81, of Derry, at 3 p.m. Monday headed north along Route 982. State police said Clara Gamble failed to yield to oncoming traffic while attempting to turn left onto Industrial Boulevard and collided with a 2003 Ford Ranger driven by Theodore P. Keir, 80, of Bradenville.

While firefighters from Bradenville and Derry directed traffic around the crash, Bryan Gamble got out of the car and "appeared to be calm for a few minutes, but then began running around, out of control, at the scene of the crash," according to witnesses.

While Clara Gamble and Keir were treated by Mutual Aid paramedics, Bryan Gamble allegedly hopped into the driver's seat of the ambulance and put it into drive, police said.

Gamble allegedly kicked and punched a Mutual Aid paramedic who tried to put the ambulance in park before the medic pushed Gamble out the passenger side, police said.

Gamble allegedly grabbed a Bradenville firefighter who had come to help, then the firefighter took Gamble to the ground, police said. Other firefighters at the scene helped keep Gamble subdued until police arrived, said Bradenville fire Chief Mark Piantine.

Gamble is charged with two counts each of aggravated assault and harassment and single counts of theft, disorderly conduct and driving while operating privilege is suspended.

Gamble's driver's license is suspended as a result of a previous driving under the influence conviction, police said.

He is being held on $25,000 bail at the Westmoreland County Prison. A preliminary hearing is set for Aug. 19.

Renatta Signorini is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 724-837-5374 or rsignorini@tribweb.com.

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