Truck driver charged in ambulance crash that critically injured paramedics
Posted Sep 15, 2026 03:36:20 PM.
Provincial police laid serious charges against a transport truck driver in connection to a crash that critically injured two paramedics on a snowy February afternoon.
Just after 3:00 p.m. on Feb. 2, an ambulance was travelling down a rural roadway in Madoc, Ont. when it and a transport truck collided at the intersection of Highway 7 and Highway 62, just north of Belleville.
The serious two-vehicle crash gave two paramedics life-threatening injuries and they were airlifted to a Kingston trauma centre.
As a result of the investigation, police laid charges against the transport truck driver, Sajeevarnan Balasubramaniam, 34, of Milton. He is facing the offences of:
- Dangerous operation causing bodily harm- two counts
- Criminal negligence cause bodily harm- two counts
- Careless driving causing bodily harm- two counts
The accused is set to appear in a Belleville court on Oct. 1.
Fundraiser for paramedics raises over $300,000
On that cold February day, paramedic partners Mya Nichols and Zoraiz Rehman of Hastings-Quinte Paramedic Services were in the ambulance when the collision happened.
According to the fundraiser created by Samantha deHaan, Nichols was driving the ambulance and took “the full force” of the crash with the transport truck. She was unconscious and was later in critical condition in the ICU.
“She suffered multiple small brain bleeds, which have miraculously stopped on their own,” deHaan wrote. “Her intracranial pressures are being closely monitored and remain stable. While there is still uncertainty surrounding the full extent of her injuries, she has already made meaningful progress.”
At the time of the incident, Rehman jumped into action. He was seriously injured but managed to get out of the ambulance, call 911 and — “in a true testament to his character,” the fundraiser notes —check on the two people who were in the transport truck.
On Feb. 27, almost a month after the crash, Nichols was recovering at the hospital, regaining her ability to talk, walk and eat.
“She is incredibly driven to make a full recovery and, even now, is still finding ways to laugh and bring light to those around her,” the update notes. “While she has a long road ahead, she continues to show remarkable strength and determination.”
Rehman was released from hospital shortly after the crash, and is continuing to attend multiple appointments each week as he rehabilitates his spine.
The funds went 50/50 to each of the paramedics’ families to help recover the wages lost and the additional expenses that come with healing from the traumatic injuries.
“The support from across the region and beyond has been nothing short of humbling,” the update reads. “It is a powerful reminder of the bond within the first responder community and the strength of the communities we serve.”
