‘I waited an hour on the median strip for an ambulance’: Filmmaker Dan Monceaux

Arts identity Dan Monceaux had a shocking skateboarding accident on Sunday. He was then left on the side of the road by a policeman and waited almost an hour for an ambulance.

Early Sunday morning, independent filmmaker, artist and DJ Dan Monceaux broke his leg in the “worst skateboarding accident of my life”.

But that wasn’t the worst part of his day.

Mr Monceaux was able to flag down a bus driver who called Triple 0 at about 4.30am at the Noarlunga Bus Interchange where he’d just hopped off the bus to skate the rest of the way home.

Mr Monceaux said a policeman attended the scene but was then called away.

He said he had to wait almost an hour for an ambulance.

“I rang them – Triple 0 – twice more and they said they didn’t know when an ambulance would be available,” Mr Monceaux said from his hospital bed this morning while awaiting surgery.

“I realise I am lucky it wasn’t life-threatening but it was terrible to wait alone, shivering in pain and shock for so long.”

Artist and DJ Dan Monceaux. Picture: Facebook

Dan Monceaux in hospital. Picture: Emma Monceaux

Mr Monceaux posted about his experience on his Facebook page this morning – calling for “properly resourced emergency services”.

“I stacked badly after I gained too much speed downhill and lost control,”

he wrote in the Facebook post.

“I was left lying in wait for an ambulance for an hour after I flagged down a bus driver who was the first responder.

“The pain was and remains excruciating – like nothing I’ve experienced before. I had watched my foot fold backwards beneath my leg when I came off.”

“A police officer attended, then left me in the road because he was called away for another job.

“I told him I thought I had broken my leg and couldn’t move.”

Independent filmmaker and DJ Dan Monceaux. Picture: Facebook

Mr Monceaux said he dragged himself to a nearby median strip to get off the road at the request of the officer.

“I was abandoned . . . I lay in the road, screaming occasionally in the vain hope that someone might hear and offer me a ride.”

He said he even called the hospital direct and attempted to call a taxi but was told their were no drivers available.

“Eventually an ambulance arrived, but an hour had passed.”

“We need to take care of those who take care of us.

“No, my situation wasn’t life threatening, but it was immobilising, in a road and a block from a hospital.

“As the painkillers finally kick in, I’m seeing the black comedy in this.

“A remedy is overdue, and that remedy is urgent investment in emergency services.”

SA Police confirmed a patrol did attend the scene, made sure Mr Monceaux was ok and then left to attend a priority one callout to Christies Downs.

“An officer attended and checked on the man’s welfare and made sure he was not in any further danger, then the officer was diverted to a deliberately lit fire at Christie Downs,” a spokeman said.

SA Health directed us to SA Ambulance Service for comment.

SAAS said the ambulance arrived in 48 minutes.

“We recognise the increasing demand for ambulance services and last night was a busy one,” a SAAS spokeman said.

“Our staff do an exceptional job and unfortunately when experiencing high demand, less urgent cases may wait longer.

“We continue to work on response times so we can get to our urgent patients sooner.

“The first 28 paramedics and ambulance officers of 350 new staff are already on board, with more commencing in coming weeks.”