City takes action against ambulance company tied to assault on patient

DUNWOODY, Ga. — The controversy that started with an emergency medical technician's attack on a teenager is leading to serious action. The assault cost an American Medical Response employee her job.

EMT Deannah Williams was seen on video repeatedly punching a 17-year-old patient in the face.

[READ MORE: EMT seen on video allegedly beating restrained 17-year-old boy]

"I was just floored. Like, I can't believe what I'm seeing," recent law school graduate Jada Manggrum said after Channel 2's Wendy Halloran showed her the shocking video. "I just could not believe she did this."

[READ MORE: New developments in case of EMT charged with assaulting patient]

By the time Dunwoody police officers grabbed Williams out of the ambulance, she was still in a fury. The officers tried to console the teen by calling him “boss man."

TRENDING STORIES:

As if the incident wasn’t bad enough, one eyewitness was an EMT in training.

American Medical Response fired Williams and issued a statement saying the company has zero tolerance for this type of behavior.

“To assault him when he’s restrained, knowing he has some type of mental disability. That’s disheartening,” Manggrum said.

The teen's parents told Channel 2 Actions News they plan to sue American Medical Response as well as DeKalb County.

The incident brought the issue of mistreatment of patients to the forefront along with the dangerously slow response times.

The city of Dunwoody is stepping up to protect its citizens. It sent a letter to the state, asking to be allowed to get rid of American Medical Response and bring in a new ambulance company.

Cox Media Group