Questions Surround Case of South Carolina Patient ’s Death

ORANGEBURG, SC (WRDW/WAGT) - Questions continue to surround the case of a man who was killed while walking down Interstate 95 in Orangeburg County last year. Those questions surround an EMT and a paramedic who treated Paul Tarashuk before he was released from their care and into the care of an Orangeburg County deputy. That deputy dropped Tarashuk off 18 miles away at a closed gas station. The paramedic is allowed to keep working after South Carolina ruled she and the other EMT abandoned Tarashuk instead of taking him to a nearby hospital. It started with a few 911 calls on Sept. 9, 2018. 911 Caller: There is a man naked running down the interstate on 95. 911 Caller: I don't know if you are going to believe me or not, but I just had a naked guy come walk up on me on the side of the road, and I took off and I think he jumped on my catwalk. It was 26-year-old Paul Tarashuk. When Orangeburg County Sheriff's Office deputies arrived to try and grab Tarashuk, they believed he was on drugs. He was not. He was having a schizophrenic episode. The deputy's body cam is still recording when EMT workers arrive. They ask Tarashuk for his name over and over again, but he doesn't respond. It's clear by the video they're getting agitated. "What's your name?" one EMT said. "Tell us your damn name, please." Tarashuk continued to not respond. "Stop acting stupid," the EMT said, "You are a grown man." The longer Tarashuk sits in silence, the shorter their p...
Source: JEMS Patient Care - Category: Emergency Medicine Tags: News Patient Care Administration and Leadership Source Type: news