One of the two emergency medics hit by a truck while on the scene of an earlier Beltway accident remained in intensive care Wednesday.
Tom Schryver, 26, was part of a volunteer ambulance crew from the Glen Echo Fire Department on the scene of an accident early Sunday morning on the inner loop of the Beltway near River Road.
Maryland State Police said that a little after 12:15 a.m., the driver of a 2005 Ford F-150 lost control of his truck, skidded across two lanes and onto the right shoulder where Schryver and fellow EMT Sydney Marshall were working.
On Wednesday morning, Glen Echo Fire Department President John Witherspoon, Jr. posted a message on Facebook with an update on Schryver’s and Marshall’s recoveries.
Witherspoon said Schryver remained in intensive care. On Tuesday night, Marshall briefly celebrated her 20th birthday in the hospital with Schryver and two EMTs who were on the scene but not hurt in the wreck.
“Meghan Quinn and Wyatt Smith, the two EMTs who were not physically injured, are working through the emotional trauma of having watched their colleagues and friends get hit by a truck and be seriously injured,” Witherspoon wrote. “All are in the early stages of grasping that they have been through a truly life-altering event and not a mere traffic accident.”
Witherspoon said the crew members of ambulance 711 got together for the first time since being transported from the scene on Monday evening.
“All four gathered at Tom’s bedside to share a few moments, which, as one might imagine, were very emotional,” Witherspoon wrote.
State Police identified the driver of the truck as Maximillano Curcho, 34, of Clarksburg. He was also taken to Suburban Hospital. The people in the Toyota involved in the initial crash were taken to MedStar Hospital, though police said it’s unknown if they sustained injuries when the truck hit the shoulder.
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue units suspected icy conditions played a part in both wrecks, though State Police initially said they had not determined the cause of the crash.
Witherspoon wrote that Quinn’s mayday call at the time of the wreck went out over the regular dispatch channel. That drew a large response from surrounding fire and police personnel.
“Meghan, Wyatt, Sydney, and Tom are extraordinarily grateful to their colleagues and partners in the fire, rescue, and police communities for their overwhelming support not only at the time of the incident, but also in the days since,” Witherspoon wrote.
Some have asked the Glen Echo Fire Department (5920 Massachusetts Avenue) how they can help support the injured EMTs.
“As soon as there is an opportunity to consult with the four EMTs about their preferences in this regard, we will share details,” Witherspoon wrote.
Photos via Glen Echo Fire Department, @mcfrsPIO
