Paramedics respond to call for ill OCTA driver Monday
Paramedics tend to a sick bus driver (Oliver Yu)
An Orange County Transportation Authority bus driver fell ill and called paramedics on Monday while driving his route that stops at the bus circle on the Saddleback College campus.
Daniel Juarez, 33, said he left for work this morning with a cold. As he pulled onto College Drive, he started perspiring and felt nauseated.
“At first, no one else noticed,” Juarez said. “I stopped the bus and called 9-1-1. It took them less than a minute to respond.”
At the bus circle, some of his co-workers expressed concern.
“He said he was feeling fine, and one of his passengers asked if he was OK, because he looked really pale,” said fellow bus driver Everardo Orhellas. “He just suddenly threw up and then called 9-1-1.”
Paramedics transported him to Mission Hospital by where he was waiting to be examined.
Sitting in a wheelchair, receiving oxygen through a nasal cannula, Juarez was still extremely pale.
“I’m waiting for them to check me out. They want to make sure my vitals are alright,” Juarez said. “I’m feeling better. It’s probably just the stomach flu. I told the nurse that I started sweating and then just kept throwing up… throwing up.”