Honorees

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Year Honored
1994
Honoree
Glenn R James
Agency
City of El Paso EMS
Agency City
El Paso
Agency State
TX
Last Call
9/2/88
Cause of Death
Struck at Scene
Biography
Glenn Robert James was fondly known as R. J. to other pre-hospital care providers in the El Paso EMS Division where he was district supervisor. He had joined the Division of City/County Health on February 14, 1983, after being involved in emergency medical service in the private sector. R. J. was a well respected paramedic and was chosen Paramedic of the Quarter in May, 1988.<br /> <br /> At 2:00 a. m. on September 2, 1988, R. J. and other emergency workers responded to an accident involving a semi-trailer fishtailed on the interstate. As workers cleared the lanes, a car struck the police car used to close a traffic lane. R. J. ran to that accident to check for injuries. As he walked back to the ambulance, he was struck from behind by a drunk hit-and-run driver who had gone through police barricades.<br /> <br /> R. J. died instantly due to massive multiple trauma at the age of 32. Ironically, there were no injuries involved in the two accidents R. J. had responded to on the interstate.<br /> <br /> Police chased the driver two miles before they could stop him and arrest him for involuntary manslaughter. He was an 18-year-old college student who had celebrated his birthday in Mexico because the legal drinking age in Texas was 21.<br /> <br /> R. J. and his wife, Alicia, had three daughters--Lisa Armenta, Margaret Ann, and Samantha Lee. They were members of St. Matthews Catholic Church.<br /> <br /> Fellow workers remember R. J.'s music. He was always writing and singing songs and, reportedly, had ballads for all emergency medical situations. They also remember his constant saying, "Hey, Par. What's up?" James felt that all pre-hospital careproviders were his partners.<br /> <br /> Honored 1994