Fire badly damaged several buildings Friday near the courthouse square in Greencastle, with flames shooting through the roofs as firefighters from several communities were called in to the central Indiana city to help.INDIANAPOLIS – Two medics who died in the line of duty were remembered Wednesday by co-workers as young men dedicated to helping save lives, while friends and relatives recalled their fun-loving nature.
About 1,000 mourners filled Butler University’s Clowes Memorial Hall for Wednesday’s memorial service honoring Cody Medley, 22, of Indianapolis, and Tim McCormick, 24, of Greenwood.
They became the first known emergency services workers in the city’s history to be killed in the line of duty when their ambulance collided with a car early Saturday. McCormick died at the scene, and Medley died Sunday.
“I have struggled ... to find a shred of meaning in the tragic deaths of these young men,” said Dr. Charles Miramonti, chief of the Indianapolis Emergency Medical Services. “I don’t have any answers today.”
He asked dozens of uniformed Emergency Medical Services workers sitting together in the audience to stand, saying he wanted to illustrate the unity of the department.
Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann, Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard, Sen. Joe Donnelly and other officials joined family members and hundreds of medics, police officers and firefighters in paying tribute to Medley and McCormick.
“Emergencies were a way of life for these young men, and they did (their jobs) for strangers because they cared,” Ballard said.
Ballard postponed the annual State of the City address because of the deaths of Medley and McCormick. The speech is rescheduled for March 8.
Police said the ambulance carrying Medley and McCormick had the right of way when a car driven by 21-year-old Jade Hammer collided with it early Saturday.
Marion County prosecutors are awaiting toxicology tests that will show Hammer’s blood-alcohol content and help them decide if she’ll be charged in the crash.
