Man killed after jumping out of ambulance was under emergency detention order, police say

A man was killed when he jumped onto the freeway from an ambulance transporting him from one medical facility to another, police said.

It happened Monday morning on I-10 West and Geronimo. The death and ensuing investigation led to the closure of all westbound lanes at that location for hours.

Police said 24-year-old Abner Lozano was under an emergency detention order and was being transported to University Behavioral Health Center.

Lozano unbuckled himself from the gurney and jumped into the freeway from the moving ambulance, police said. He was transported to University Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

The ambulance transporting Lozano is operated by Life Ambulance.

“You could not anticipate it. It was just wow! The patient was secured with stretcher straps because, by law, we cannot restrain, but we always use the stretcher straps for these types of patients,” said Rachel Harracksingh, the president of Life Ambulance.

Harracksingh said a two-man crew was transporting Lozano: a driver in the front and an EMT in the back. Lozano’s chest, waist and feet were strapped, she added.

“We transport these types of patients all the time and we’ve never had an incident like this in 32 years. I’m just glad he didn’t take a crew member with him,” Harracksingh said.