Ambulance patient killed by car (From Hampshire Chronicle)

Ambulance patient killed by car

5:30pm Thursday 29th July 2010

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An assault victim was hit by a car and killed when he got out of an ambulance taking him to hospital, it has emerged.

Andrew Hamilton was punched unconscious after a night out in Bideford, North Devon at 1.45am on June 13.

He became agitated after regaining consciousness in an ambulance on his way to hospital in Barnstaple and the crew decided to let him out for a cigarette to calm down.

They pulled into a layby on the A39 but the 32-year-old, originally from Glasgow, walked into the road and was struck by a white Nissan Almera car at 2am.

Mr Hamilton, the son of shipyard boss Andrew Hamilton, died in North Devon District Hospital after the accident.

The 41-year-old man who attacked Mr Hamilton has been cautioned for assault but no further action will be taken against him, police said.

Part of the A39 was closed for nearly 10 hours while specialist traffic investigators examined the scene.

A Devon and Cornwall police spokesman said: "The death has been investigated and no action is being taken against ambulance crew who weren't negligent."

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