TAPPAHANNOCK, Va. — The family of Jacob Bozeman, the Virginia EMT killed in a wreck involving a dump truck along Route 360 in King and Queen County, says he "touched so many souls" and knew at a very young age that he wanted to help people.
Samantha Gartner said her eldest son was her best friend.
"He made up his mind at 4 [years old that] he wanted to be an EMT," Gartner said. "He never wavered."
Bozeman graduated from Essex County High School in 2023 and attended Rappahannock Community College, where he received an advanced emergency medical technician certificate.
WATCH: First responders escort body of EMT killed in crash to funeral home
Gartner said the 20-year-old first worked for the Richmond Ambulance Authority.
"He was a 911 responder and he loved helping people, but the drive was hard for him to continue making," Gartner explained.
Gartner said Bozeman then found "his forever home" with American Medical Response's (AMR) Tappahannock office, working on the critical care transport unit.
"He lost his life helping a critically ill person," Gartner said. "He was working overtime to ensure that person was going to get the help they needed."
Gartner said her son was due home at 6 a.m.
Virginia State Police said the dump truck crossed onto Route 360 from Fleets Mill Road around 6:50 a.m. The truck was stopped in the median of the four-lane highway to wait for traffic, according to troopers. That is the intersection near Shepherds United Methodist Church and about two miles from the Essex County line.
State police said roughly three feet of the dump truck was in the road when the ambulance hit the truck's driver-side rear corner panel and then overturned into the median.
Gartner said her son was a hero because he had no choice but to hit the truck as there was another car in the right lane.
"When the dump truck driver pulled out in front of him, he had nowhere to go," she said. "He was a hero in his last seconds ensuring that no one else in this tragic accident was seriously injured."
Paramedic Christopher Mack, who was also in the ambulance, was taken to the hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries, troopers said, as was the driver of the dump truck.
The crash happened around 20 minutes before sunrise.
"If he didn’t turn the ambulance wheel at the right time our paramedic wouldn’t be here today," Rylee Schiller, who is also an EMT, said.
Schiller said she has also experienced close calls behind the wheel.
"I have had people with big log trucks or dump trucks pull out in front of my ambulance to turn in the median and their tail half is out in the road," Schiller wrote. "You need to understand that just like them, we cannot stop our ambulance as fast as you think we can stop in a smaller vehicle."
However, Schiller remembered Bozeman as "so much more than an amazing driver." He was her best friend and her "other half," she said.
"I went on Walmart runs with him, we danced together, we sang together. When I was sad he knew exactly what to say to put a smile on my face. He was such a sweet, positive, caring soul with such an infectious laugh," Schiller recalled. "He was extremely passionate about his job. He was so excited to run lights and sirens and I know he’s running all the lights and sirens in heaven."
Other colleagues also remembered Bozeman for his positive outlook and being a team player.
"I only met Jacob once when he did a perception shift with me, but he was such a positive light on the truck," Tiffany Hirsch, a paramedic with Richmond Ambulance Authority, said.
Keri Leonard said Bozeman was a "warm and loving individual."
"I got the opportunity to work with Jacob at AMR," Leonard wrote. "Jacob was a team player. On our downtime, we listened to music in the truck and jammed out as well as just had honest and open communication. Jacob will be missed but not forgotten."
Officials with AMR said Thursday that their "hearts are with our team members, their loved ones, and everyone affected by this tragic event,".
"Every day, our EMS crews put themselves on the front lines to save lives and serve their communities with dedication and compassion," AMR officials said. "This incident is a heartbreaking reminder of the risks they take in the name of caring for others."
Gartner said she was grateful for the outpouring of love from the community.
"I am truly thankful for all the love and support my baby is getting," she wrote.
Friday afternoon, a long line of first responders from the Richmond Fire Department, AMR, VCU Health and a medical helicopter led the processional as Bozeman's body was returned home to Tappahannock.
The funeral procession started at the Richmond Medical Examiner's Office and continued to Faulkner Funeral Home in Tappahannock, where Bozeman's family and friends were gathered.
"He was loved by so many. And that shows by the social media post, the ride home, and his candlelight ceremony yesterday," Gartner said. "I am truly touched knowing that in his very short life of only 20 years that he touched so many souls."
A GoFundMe account has been established to help Bozeman's family. Click here to make a donation.
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