OKC Paramedic Sentenced To Probation In Fatal Crash Trial

A former EMSA paramedic lost his job and is charged with negligent homicide after a deadly crash two years ago. Now, a judge has determined he will not serve any jail time.

Monday, January 27th 2014, 5:56 pm

By: News 9


A former EMSA paramedic lost his job and is charged with negligent homicide after a deadly crash two years ago. Now, a judge has determined he will not serve any jail time.

The deadly crash happened December 10, 2011 near the intersection of N.W. 10th and May Ave. Benjamin Samples was rushing to an emergency call when he slammed into another driver.

12/19/2011 Related Story: EMSA Driver Charged In Deadly Oklahoma City Crash

Samples had nothing to say as he walked out of courtroom with his lawyer and his wife by his side.

A judge sentenced him to one year probation, despite a request by the state to have him serve 90 days in jail and a plea from the victim's widow to give him a year behind bars.

"This was a difficult case for everybody," said Ed Blau, Samples' attorney. "We felt it was best to enter a plea of no contest."

EMSA reports the day of the deadly crash, Benjamin Samples was responding to a priority two call, "a non-life threatening emergency with a response time of 12 minutes and 59 seconds."

According to the charges, Samples was driving 83 miles per hour in a 40 mile per hour zone, A police report states he was driving on the wrong side of the road when he slammed into Fidel Solis, an illegal immigrant, who was trying to make a left hand turn in front of the ambulance.

Solis later died at the hospital from the injuries he incurred in the accident.

The Oklahoma County District Attorney's office filed a charge of negligent homicide against Samples, which is a misdemeanor crime that carries up to a year in jail, stating he "willfully drove a motor vehicle in reckless disregard of the safety of others".

Samples pled not guilty. But after more than two years of legal wrangling, Samples changed his plea to no contest, and accepted whatever sentence the judge deemed fit.

"Nothing can bring the victim back," said Blau. "But hopefully this will bring both sides a little bit of closure."

There is a still a civil lawsuit pending against Samples and Paramedics Plus that was filed by the widow of Fidel Solis.

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