UCSF Nurses Aid Victims in Hit-and-Run Rampage
By Nancy Chan
and Lisa Cisneros A rare noontime lunch outing for two UCSF nurse practitioners turned out to be fortunate for two men who were intentionally run down by a disturbed driver in Tuesday's widely reported hit-and-run rampage through the streets of San Francisco. Natalie Olsen and Tammy Rodvelt were having lunch at a Thai restaurant near the corner of Sutter and Steiner streets when they reacted to a customer who yelled, "Oh, my God, he hit someone." San Francisco police report that the suspect, later identified as Omeed A. Popal, 29, used his Honda Pilot to kill one pedestrian in Fremont before coming to San Francisco, where he struck at least 18 others. The suspect was arrested on the corner of Spruce Street just outside the Walgreens store after police cars cornered his badly damaged SUV.
The carnage unfolded during the lunch hour right outside the UCSF Laurel Heights building, but no UCSF employees were reported injured. The UCSF Faculty and Staff Assistance Program is offering free, confidential counseling and referrals to those who need to talk about the incident.
Laurel Heights resident Wendy Hagenbuch witnessed one woman being hit while walking in the crosswalk on California Street.
"It looked as though he were intentionally trying to hit people," she said. "When police caught up with him, he looked like a normal guy. He was peaceful, almost as if he just had a sandwich at Starbucks."
Andre Amarotico had been in the San Francisco Fire Credit Union bank on California Street when he heard the commotion outside. "I saw the black SUV jump the curb, hit a biker and another pedestrian," Amarotico said. "He kept on going."
Good Samaritans
Olsen and Rodvelt, both nurse practitioners in the UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center at Mount Zion, did not hesitate to come to the aid of two of the fallen victims hit on Tuesday. One, a 56-year-old man, was severely injured in an initial assault by the alleged attacker. The other, a 78-year-old man, was reportedly hit on a second pass by the driver. By the time the driver made a third pass around the block, both men had been pulled from the street and onto the sidewalk. For the next 15 minutes, nurses Olsen and Rodvelt did what both said they were trained to do: help the injured victims in any way they could. "There were people already trying to help, but it was important to announce that we were nurses," said Rodvelt. "I think this reassured the crowd and the victims." Olsen, who said that she went into action based on her natural instincts developed in her medical training, tended to the younger of the two victims by assessing his injuries and getting him to calm down. "He was upset and moaning, but it was important to distract him from his pain," said Olsen. "I asked him if I could contact his relatives, and he said he had a cell phone in his pants pocket. He was able to give me phone numbers to call, so that was a good sign."
Olsen called the first number - a sister - and was able to leave a voice message. A second call to a niece had the same result.
"I gave them my name, told them I was a nurse and, in the case of the niece, told her that her uncle had been seriously injured and would be taken to a hospital," she said. "And I told them to call this cell number."
Rodvelt tended to the elderly victim, who had suffered from multiple bone fractures.
"He was very sweet, very thankful," said Rodvelt. "He was alert and able to tell me that he was a bachelor who lives alone."
The ambulances arrived within minutes, followed by fire trucks and San Francisco police. Both victims were taken to San Francisco General Hospital (SFGH), where health professionals at the city's only level-1 trauma center had been notified in advance through 911 calls of the afternoon melee unfolding outside.
Once the patients were en route to SFGH, Olsen and Rodvelt returned to finish lunch and then went back to work.
"We didn't really know the extent of the hit-and-run rampage," said Olsen. "At one point, someone had yelled that the driver was coming back, but I think I was so focused on the injured man that I didn't have time to be scared."
On Tuesday evening, the niece who was called about her uncle spoke to the media and mentioned Olsen in gratitude as a savior. By Wednesday, the news media sought out the "Good Samaritan who risked her life" to help another. In the process, Rodvelt, who had up until then been anonymous, was being recognized as the second nurse practitioner who performed unselfishly.
Gerrie Shields, administrative director of the UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center, called the staff response "everyday pride at its best."
"We are not heroes," said Olsen. "We just happened to be there and were happy to help in any way we could. Truly, it was nothing superhuman. We were just doing our job."
Photos/Lisa Cisneros
Related Links:
Nurse Practitioners Sprang Into Action to Aid Victims
San Jose Mercury News, August 31, 2006 Driver's Rampage: Amid Chaos, Many Rushed to Aid Victims
San Francisco Chronicle, August 31, 2006
San Francisco: Gasia Mikaelian Reports on Mental and Physical Recovery of Rampage Victims
KTVU-TV, August 30, 2006Nurses Say Helping Came Naturally
KRON 4 News, August 30, 2006 The UCSF Faculty and Staff Assistance Program
and Lisa Cisneros A rare noontime lunch outing for two UCSF nurse practitioners turned out to be fortunate for two men who were intentionally run down by a disturbed driver in Tuesday's widely reported hit-and-run rampage through the streets of San Francisco. Natalie Olsen and Tammy Rodvelt were having lunch at a Thai restaurant near the corner of Sutter and Steiner streets when they reacted to a customer who yelled, "Oh, my God, he hit someone." San Francisco police report that the suspect, later identified as Omeed A. Popal, 29, used his Honda Pilot to kill one pedestrian in Fremont before coming to San Francisco, where he struck at least 18 others. The suspect was arrested on the corner of Spruce Street just outside the Walgreens store after police cars cornered his badly damaged SUV.
 |
This Honda Pilot shows the damage from the driver's hit-and-run rampage that reportedly struck 18 people in San Francisco. |
 |
Wendy Hagenbuch witnessed one woman being struck by the SUV on California Street. |
Olsen and Rodvelt, both nurse practitioners in the UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center at Mount Zion, did not hesitate to come to the aid of two of the fallen victims hit on Tuesday. One, a 56-year-old man, was severely injured in an initial assault by the alleged attacker. The other, a 78-year-old man, was reportedly hit on a second pass by the driver. By the time the driver made a third pass around the block, both men had been pulled from the street and onto the sidewalk. For the next 15 minutes, nurses Olsen and Rodvelt did what both said they were trained to do: help the injured victims in any way they could. "There were people already trying to help, but it was important to announce that we were nurses," said Rodvelt. "I think this reassured the crowd and the victims." Olsen, who said that she went into action based on her natural instincts developed in her medical training, tended to the younger of the two victims by assessing his injuries and getting him to calm down. "He was upset and moaning, but it was important to distract him from his pain," said Olsen. "I asked him if I could contact his relatives, and he said he had a cell phone in his pants pocket. He was able to give me phone numbers to call, so that was a good sign."
 |
San Francisco Police cornered the suspect in his SUV on Spruce Street at about 1:15 p.m. |
San Jose Mercury News, August 31, 2006 Driver's Rampage: Amid Chaos, Many Rushed to Aid Victims
San Francisco Chronicle, August 31, 2006
San Francisco: Gasia Mikaelian Reports on Mental and Physical Recovery of Rampage Victims KTVU-TV, August 30, 2006
Nurses Say Helping Came Naturally KRON 4 News, August 30, 2006 The UCSF Faculty and Staff Assistance Program