Everman High School girl, 17, dies in crash with parked ambulance

By Kathy Sanders Star-Telegram Staff Writer

FORT WORTH -- Sara Elizabeth Kirkland had everything going for her.

The popular Everman High School senior-to-be had blossomed in the past year, excelling in calculus and physics and planning to earn college credits in her senior year. She also worked part time at a Red Lobster restaurant.

And then the 17-year-old's hopes, dreams and life were wiped out in a split second Tuesday night. Driving home from work, she crashed into the back of an ambulance parked at a freeway crash scene, leaving no indication that she tried to brake or swerve. She died instantly. "It's horrible," said her brother-in-law, Daniel Mendoza. "Her mom told us that in the last couple of years, [Sara] felt whatever happened in her life, God had control of it. She realized if she tried to control her life, she would mess it up."

A devout Christian, Kirkland was an honor student, played trombone in the school band and, since February, had worked as a hostess at the Red Lobster restaurant on South Hulen Street.

"My heart is broken. She's just a wonderful child. I'd like to turn the clock back," said Everman High School counselor Janice Lambert, who last week worked with Kirkland to enroll her in college-credit courses during her senior year.

"She certainly had it all ahead of her. She was very smart, very mature, well-liked and involved in a lot of activities."

As her family made funeral arrangements yesterday, investigators and MedStar officials tried to figure out why she couldn't avoid the ambulance in the 700 block of S.W. Loop 820, between the Crowley Road and Hemphill Street exits.

The ambulance had been summoned for a driver who complained of back pain after her car collided with a tractor- trailer rig in the eastbound lanes.

An off-duty Benbrook police officer helped get the vehicles to the inside shoulder, next to the concrete barrier at the median, Fort Worth Detective H. Castaneda said.

MedStar Unit 59 was less than a minute from the crash site and was the first emergency vehicle to arrive, parking in the inside traffic lane with its overhead lightbar and emergency flashers on, Castaneda said.

MedStar attendants Michael Olson, 24, and David Paolini assessed the driver's injuries and Olson returned to the ambulance, MedStar spokeswoman Clare Durrett said.

"Mike Olson returned to the unit and was reaching inside to retrieve some flares. While he was reaching for the flares, the witnesses said they heard the accident," she said.

Castaneda said Kirkland's 1989 red Chevrolet Corsica, smashed into the rear of the ambulance, shoving it 50 yards down the freeway.

Olson was knocked onto the median shoulder and suffered a broken wrist, Castaneda said.

Police said the Corsica was traveling at least 65 mph, but its exact speed had not been determined yesterday afternoon.

Investigators said no skid marks were found on the highway, indicating that there was no apparent attempt by Kirkland to brake or swerve to avoid hitting the ambulance. They said they may never know why she either didn't see or miscalculated where the ambulance was, although there was at least a quarter mile of straight highway after a small rise in the highway.

Durrett said paramedics were correct in parking in the inside lane, because that protected the victims of the initial wreck and witnesses. Had they parked on the shoulder behind or in front of the cars, they might have had to wheel the injured driver into traffic lanes to get her into the ambulance, Durrett said.

MedStar is conducting its own investigation of the crash, she said.

Family, friends, schoolmates and co-workers mourned Kirkland yesterday.

"She was just an extraordinary young lady," said family friend Alec Turner. "She'd just blossomed like a flower this year. She was so vibrant and pretty and sweet. She'd come out of her shell."

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. today at Emerald Hills Funeral Home. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. tomorrow at Hallmark Baptist Church.

Kathy Sanders, (817) 390-7705