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By Ayumi Davis
AP Fellow
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Medical Transportation Management (MTM) was fined $600,000 Thursday related to a November 27, 2021, crash in Rhode Island that officials say led to the death of a passenger.
At the time of the incident, a worker for an MTM subcontractor had been driving a 77-year-old woman home from a dialysis appointment. Police say that man, Dauda Elegushi, 25, of Providence, Rhode Island, had an open bottle of Modelo beer sitting in a cupholder when he collided head-on with another vehicle, according to WJAR.
In a statement, the Rhode Island Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) said that MTM, which had been contracted to provide nonemergency medical-related transportation, has been instructed to change its procedure for reporting accidents and to create a plan to prevent the hiring of unqualified drivers.
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"This fatal accident involved a series of very severe violations of law and breaches of the standard of care we expect when MTM's providers transport members to medical appointments," EOHHS Secretary Womazetta Jones said.
"The Rhode Islanders who rely on this essential transportation service deserve nothing less than safe, high-quality care every time [they] use this service," Jones was quoted by The Providence Journal. "Given that the Rhode Island Attorney General's Office is reviewing this matter, EOHHS may assess additional penalties if there are further findings."
The passenger, Lina Russo, was admitted to the ICU at Rhode Island Hospital and later succumbed to her injuries, WJAR added.
It was later discovered that the driver had used a false identity and had not secured the passenger before the crash. A state audit also found that he drove under the influence of a controlled substance.
Governor Dan McKee said during a news conference on Thursday that the state's contract with MTM ends in June and that the state is readying proposal requests "right now to encourage other vendors" to participate, The Providence Journal added.
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The driver is facing criminal charges including driving under the influence, and driving to endanger with death resulting.
The subcontractor is no longer part of MTM's provider network, and the state Division of Public Utilities and Carriers has revoked its authority to operate.
"We are reviewing the corrective action plan from EOHHS and will respond in a timely manner," MTM spokesperson Phil Stalboerger said in a statement. "We have zero tolerance for transportation providers who do not adhere to their contracts or those that allow their drivers to engage in illegal behavior. Our clients' safety remains our top priority."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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