Ambulance hits Oregon cyclist, rushes him to hospital, then sticks him with $1,800 bill, lawsuit says

A photograph in a Rainier Police Department report shows William Hoesch's bicycle under the wheel of a Columbia River Fire & Rescue ambulance in October 2022.Rainier Police Department

An Oregon cyclist who was struck by an ambulance that made a right turn into him — fracturing his nose and leaving him with scrapes and other injuries across his body — has filed a $997,000 lawsuit against the ambulance provider after it scooped him up, drove him to the hospital and then billed him for the service, according to the suit.

Attorney Travis Mayor says the ambulance provider — Columbia River Fire & Rescue — sent his client, 71-year-old William Hoesch, a $1,862 bill for the ambulance ride. That’s among about $47,000 in medical expenses that Hoesch has racked up so far and another $50,000 of medical costs he expects in the future, the suit states.

Columbia River Fire & Rescue declined to comment. Allstate Fire and Casualty Insurance Co. didn’t respond to a request for comment. The suit claims that Hoesch’s uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage is obligated to cover any damages that Columbia River Fire & Rescue is unable to.

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