San Antonio Brush Truck Strikes, Kills Wheelchair-Bound Woman

SAN ANTONIO --

A 32-year veteran of the San Antonio Fire Department is being kept from driving after he struck and killed a wheelchair-bound woman Monday evening.

Diane Rosenbaum was riding her motorized wheelchair after leaving a nearby pharmacy when she crossed paths with the departing fire vehicle.

The firefighter, whom fire officials have not identified, was behind the wheel of a brush truck headed to a grass fire from station No. 44 on Horal Drive on the city's west side.

The driver reportedly stopped at a Wells Fargo Bank parking lot at the intersection of Marbach Road and Horal to ask for directions from his dispatcher. When he departed, Rosenbaum was struck and briefly dragged.

The firefighter originally thought he had debris lodged under his vehicle, but reportedly didn't see anything until he noticed sparks coming from underneath the truck near Highway 90 and Loop 410.

When he stopped to check the vehicle, he found an empty wheelchair under the vehicle. When he returned to the scene after hearing a dispatch call go out for the victim, investigators said, he found the victim lying in the street.

The driver of the fire truck is unlikely to face any charges, a police investigator said, but witnesses and the driver of the truck were taken to police headquarters for further questioning.

"There's absolutely no probable cause or reason to believe this firefighter was intoxicated in any way, again, just an accident," San Antonio Police Sgt. Gabe Trevino said.

SAFD District Chief Randy Jenkins said the incident is under investigation.

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