Louisville EMT loses leg months after deadly crash

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Months after two Louisville EMT's were injured in a fatal crash on River Road, one of the men has lost a leg.

The crash happened on June 23rd, 2014 on River Road. Police initially said a car had turned onto River Road and collided with an ambulance and the driver of the car was killed in the crash.

Two EMTs, Jon Johnson and John Morgan, were both injured.

“He's been in and out of the hospital since then,” said Shauna Staton, the wife of John Morgan.

Shauna Staton is a MetroSafe dispatcher. She wasn't at work when the crash happened, but as soon as she was notified she rushed to the hospital to see him.

“They gave me a report there was an ambulance accident. Told me he broke his leg and he'd be fine. They gave me the wrong report. They gave me his partner's report. When they figured out who I was and where he was, they called the chaplain in,” said Staton.

Staton says it didn't look good, but they refused to give up hope even though Morgan was severely injured.

“He ruptured his bladder, he was bleeding out through his abdomen, ruptured his colon, his femur came up and split his pelvis wide open,” Staton said.

He's now had his leg amputated and was moved to a rehab facility on Thursday afternoon.

“They're looking at 9 months before he can walk again. 2 years before he can return to the job. He has to learn to walk all over again,” said Shauna Staton.

Staton says her husband is fighting to get back to the job he loves. The couple met as EMT's in another county, later married and moved to Louisville. She says he had only been on the job 4 weeks when this crash happened.

“We're just happy that he's alive,” Staton said.

While his partner, Jon Johnson, was released from the hospital in July, John Morgan still has a way to go before he's ready to go home.

He's already had more than 34 surgeries. Despite his injuries, Staton says he will return one day to the job he loves.

“He's just trying to overcome. Hopefully get back out on the streets and serve the public..that's what we do,” Staton said.

John Morgan is expected have a hip replacement next week and will soon be fitted for a prosthetic leg.

As for the crash investigation, police say this case is still open and under investigation.