A car hit an ambulance and the patient died – now a court case has heard medical experts don’t agree on the cause of death

This man ran a red light and hit an ambulance – but medical experts are split on whether the patient inside died from the impact or an existing medical condition.

Experts are divided on whether an ailing man died from a bleed on the brain or because the ambulance in which he was being treated was struck by another car, a court has heard.

The car’s driver, Parth Mirani, appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday charged with causing both death and harm by dangerous driving, and with aggravated reckless driving.

It is the second time Mirani, 25, of Enfield, has been charged by SA Police over an incident that allegedly occurred outside the Royal Adelaide Hospital on September 11, 2018.

Previously, prosecutors have alleged he was behind the wheel of a Toyota Camry that ran a red light at the hospital’s Port Rd entrance at 10.45pm.

The car collided with the ambulance with such force that it knocked the larger vehicle on to its side.

Parth Mirani outside court. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Brenton Edwards.

The ambulance was carrying a patient, 69, from Westbourne Park to the hospital – paramedics were able to free themselves and assist him and another passenger.

Emergency services had to break a window to free the passenger, a member of the patient’s family who was not seriously injured.

The patient died the following day and charges were laid against Mirani, only to be dropped weeks later.

Prior to that, the court was told Mirani admitted having ran the red light but otherwise denied the charges.

An ambulance flipped on its side in a crash outside the Royal Adelaide Hospital in September, 2018. Picture: Paul Purcell

On Tuesday, counsel for Mirani said prosecutors had refiled the charges but had yet to hand over crucial documentation, and asked the matter be thrown out.

Prosecutors objected, saying there was an evidentiary dispute to be resolved.

“There’s an issue in this matter in relation to causation … we have reports from a pathologist and a neurologist, and they disagree as to cause of death,” they said.

“Prior to this incident, the deceased was being taken to hospital with a bleed on the brain … further time is required to make further inquiries as to causation.”

Magistrate Elizabeth Sheppard said she was minded to grant an adjournment – but only a short one.

“I’m sure your client is under a lot of pressure waiting for this matter to resolve … this is a previous case that’s been resuscitated,” she told defence counsel.

“But if there’s an issue of causation, it might be to your client’s assistance to have it sorted – it may be a difference of opinion that gives rise to reasonable doubt.”

She remanded Mirani on continuing bail to face court again in May.