3/5/14 - An internal investigation has cleared a local EMS driver of any wrongdoing following a fatal collision with a pedestrian in Genoa Township last year. The driver's ambulance struck 49-year-old Thomas Billo in the early morning hours of November 18th. Billo had been lying in the middle of Grand River near Golf Club Road at the time, and driver initially thought he had hit some trash or debris. He came forward to report the incident when he heard Billo's body had been found. An autopsy revealed that Billo died of his injuries, but also had a blood-alcohol content of .24 at the time of his death. The Michigan State Police did the initial criminal investigation into the collision, which ended with the county prosecutor declining to file any charges against the driver. About two weeks ago, EMS began its own investigation into the incident, which Director Jeff Boyd says came to an end on Thursday. He says the incident was found to be an accident, and no further disciplinary action against the driver is needed. He returned to duty on Monday. Boyd describes the investigation process as very cooperative between the State Police, the prosecutor's office, the union, and EMS. The driver was initially put on unpaid administrative leave following the incident, but when it became clear how long the investigation would take that was changed to paid leave. (TD)
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