Inquest announced into death of man who fell out of B.C. ambulance

VICTORIA – The BC Coroners Service has announced an inquest into the death of a 36-year-old man who fell out of the back of an ambulance on the way to a hospital after a vehicle crash in Quesnel, B.C.

A release from the service says Ebony Wood walked a short distance after a motor vehicle incident on Nov. 5, 2016, to ask a neighbour to call 911.

It says RCMP arrived and Wood was placed in a cruiser, where he told an officer he was experiencing chest and shoulder pain.

The service says Wood was transferred to an ambulance and that on the way to the hospital, he fell onto the road, suffered a head injury and died two days later.

It says an inquest is mandatory because Wood was in the custody of a peace officer at the time of his death.

A coroner and a jury will hear evidence from witnesses on Nov. 14 in Quesnel to determine what happened and jurors will have the opportunity to make recommendations aimed at preventing deaths under similar circumstances.