A Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company paramedic was struck and killed by one of the company’s vehicles while assisting at the scene of an earlier crash on Patterson Mill Road in Emmorton Tuesday, emergency officials said.
Erik Steciak, 29, was among those responding to a crash in the 300 block of Patterson Mill Road shortly after 1:30 p.m., according to Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company spokesman Rich Gardiner.
At that time, a vehicle driving in the one-way direction toward Wheel Road left the roadway and struck an embankment. The driver was able to exit the vehicle and make her way up a driveway to a nearby home, whose owner she knew prior to the crash, according to Jennifer Chenworth-Price, a fire company spokeswoman.
Initial responders from the Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company’s nearby Patterson Mill substation, including Steciak, arrived and determined that a four-wheel drive vehicle would be required to traverse the driveway, which was slick with ice and snow, and reach the victim.
Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company Utility 373, a 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD equipped with a snow plow, arrived from the Patterson Mill substation a short time later. Steciak proceeded up the driveway near the vehicle at what Gardiner described as a “walking pace” when the vehicle began to slide. The vehicle struck the paramedic at approximately 1:51 p.m.
Steciak was treated at the scene and transported in grave condition by Joppa-Magnolia Volunteer Fire Company ambulance to the University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Medical Center, where he later died. Steciak was a paid EMS employee who had worked for the Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company, Gardiner said late Tuesday night. In addition to his duties with the Bel Air company, he was also an active member of the West Friendship Volunteer Fire Company in Howard County. Funeral arrangements will be made public once final arrangements have been made.
The driver in the initial crash was taken by the Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
An investigation into the accident by the Harford County Sheriff’s Office was underway Tuesday night; details of the exact nature of the fatal accident are pending the outcome of that report, according to Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Cristie Kahler.
The driver of the fire company vehicle was a volunteer, according to Chenworth-Price. The driver has been suspended from driving duties pending the outcome of the investigation per standard procedure, she said.
Steciak’s line-of-duty death was the fourth among all Harford County companies and the second for the Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company, Chenworth-Price said.
An estimated 50 or 60 emergency responders, both Bel Air volunteers and others from across Harford County and as far away as Reisterstown, gathered at the Bel Air firehouse on Hickory Avenue shortly after 6 p.m. Tuesday; fire chief Ricky Davis Jr. was with Steciak’s family at the time and not available for comment.
Chenworth-Price said the Bel Air company would be placed out of service through the night while they mourned their colleague; units from other Harford and Baltimore county companies would cover local calls.
“On behalf of County Executive Barry Glassman and Director Edward Hopkins, the Harford County Department of Emergency Services expresses our sincere sympathy to the Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company and the West Friendship Volunteer Fire Company of Howard County on the tragic loss of Paramedic Erik Steciak this afternoon,” the department said in a statement on social media Tuesday night. “Our thoughts and prayers are extended to Paramedic Steciak’s immediate family, fire service family and loved ones.”
Thoughts and Prayers are with the BAVFC. Rest easy brother or Sister we got it from here.
I do hope the person who couldn’t stay on a 1 way road and crashed, then walked to a friends house, called 911 and was taken by ambulance to the hospital for non life threatening injuries had a really really great reason being on the road yesterday.
Don’t blame that poor person, that’s bullshit. I’m sure they feel bad enough to be involved in this accident in the first place.
OK, who should we blame?
You really need someone to blame for this unfortunate accident?
Once a few of these son man beaches get charged with murder, people will soon stop panic dialing for non emergencies
Apparently PB does, that’s kinda sad. I just hope whatever this person was doing was worth it.
I would have called someone to pick me up and a tow truck. I’d call the non-emergency police line and let them know what’s up.
Not 911.
Capn Makin It Hapn Have you ever been told to shut up? Because you need to be.
Funny, I didn’t tell you what do. If you don’t like a comment, I’d recommend not reading it.
Again, where is it I told you what you should do? Point that out for me.
It isn’t funny at all. You accuse someone of murder because they had an accident and called for help. They were in no way responsible for what eventually transpired, but you call them murderers. It’s a shame what happened all down the line, no more, no less. Calling for “son man beaches” to be charged as murderers for calling for assistance is ludicrous.
Per an investigation of any future events that lead to unfortunate incidents, the party executing calls for service should be charged if the party was not found to need the level services.
Its a damn shame a tragedy like this has to turn into a pissin contest.
My sincere condolences go out to Eric’s family and his brothers and sisters in the Fire Department.
It was a longer walk down the driveway to the doctors house in the woods than to the patterson mill fire station.
I hope this is fully investigated.
Our current sad state of culture and society is due for some major COMAR (Maryland law) updates to persons risking the livelyhood of first responders.
Further detail: Fender bender, no injury. 911 call to dispatch EMT/Rescue.
Full LE investigation per new COMAR should go full scope criminal investigatiom with possible charges applied after completion of investigation. Pray a jury trial and let your peers decide your case.
Think of the expanded legislation the years after, DUI cases could be a major consideration and criminal charges pressed on those who supplied the alcohol.
I know what you’re thinking, we are blaming the wrong people, but unfortunately we are at a point in society where personal accountability is gone.
Rally with me, friends.
So someone gets in a wreck, walks to a known house when it is snowing and cold. Then calls for an ambo due to some sort of injury, real or perceived. Vollys suffer injury/death responding and “We” want to charge the accident victim said Volly’s injury/death.
Not sure I see how this helps society?
If this plan takes off. Would we charge the paramedics if they call for life flight and the helo crashes?
Your last example is moot. The paramedics calling for an airlift would be under the pretense of an actual critical emergency.
I am talking about criminal charges applied to those who request emergency services from first responders that are responding or have responded to an emergency call that was later investigated later as not to be an emergency.
Your next question I will answer. COMAR would have to in detail define emergency to get a base of articulation proper.
And I would contend the “victim” called for emergency services under the pretense of actual injury.
If you witness an accident and render aid. Dial 911 the operator will ask if there are injuries. Not being a highly trained EMT, and seeing blood on a victim’s head and they are complaining of neck pain. I respond to the inquiry with a “yes”. They send EMTs and emergency services. On the way they are involved in an accident. I would be charged in your scenario? If the victim is released by the hospital later that night?
You cannot charge people for calling for assistance if the responders are injured.
Big Willy, I would venture to assume your hypothetical situation, no, you would not be charged under those circumstances.
Your example was a legitimate injury regardless of the patient refuses medical aid or goes to the hospital for a band aid.
The idea is to criminally charge those who did not under any circumstance need medical or first responder assistance. Why is this so hard to understand?
There are a million hypothetical situations, our state legislature could define and write new bills into law about what is an emergency.
Law enforcement would investigate, and MAY apply charges, just like any other crime.
Willy, if you are inclined to use silly logic, let me ask you, and think of the expanded legislation that could be achieved afterwards.
What is the difference from a driver being charged in a getaway car with premeditation of a crime versus someone knowingly serving alcohol to another who proceeds to be involved in DUI?
My friend, we have the best legal system in the world whether or not you agree with how Judges hand out sentencing.
My condolences to Mr. Steciak’s family. From what I have read, he was a valuable asset to the community.
As for most of the comments on here, must be policeman and fireman. These two groups play an invaluable role in our society and I am thankful for their service. But I also find that these are two groups that, not all members, are often trying to find someone else to blame in these kinds of situations. Trying to blame the person who was involved in a vehicle accident is absurd.
The police report did not investigate the vehicular accident that caused a response, it investigated the BAVFD Silverado that hit and killed Mr. Steciak. The cause of his death is being hit by a vehicle,, nothing more, nothing less. It was an accident, pure and simple, due to poor road conditions.
Take responsibility for what happened, learn from it so it doesn’t happen again and move on. Celebrate Mr. Steciak’s good life and stop the blame game.