DRIVER WHO STRUCK SUNRISE PARAMEDIC SENTENCED

A driver accused of hitting a Sunrise fire-rescue paramedic with her car and fleeing the scene last year agreed to a plea deal Tuesday. In February 2006, Capt. Steve Grimstead was assisting with the ground transport of a victim shot at a gas station located off West Commercial Avenue and Nob Hill Road when he was struck. Firefighters were about to place the shooting victim in an air rescue helicopter.

Yolanda Bell was traveling westbound on the innermost passing lane of West Commercial Boulevard in her 2006 Buick Rendezvous when she struck Grimstead as he stepped off the median. He was thrown to the ground and spent 16 days in the hospital.

Bell fled the scene but returned several minutes later and told a Sunrise police officer that she was the driver who struck Grimstead.

During her no-contest plea, Bell apologized to Grimstead and his family. But Grimstead said the apology was too little, too late.

"She wouldn't even stop for a person, is one thing, let alone a civil servant that's there to help people," he said. "It really probably bothers me more than anything." Bell, who is six months pregnant, was in court with her 3-year-old daughter. She faced a maximum sentence of five years in prison for leaving the scene of an accident with injuries, but Bell's attorney argued that probation or house arrest would be a more appropriate sentence.

"Yes, she made a rash and, albeit, wrong decision to leave initially, but she went back to the scene because she was overcome by remorse," attorney Brian Greenwald said.

Instead, the judge sentenced Bell to 13-and-a-half months in state prison. Grimstead, his wife and fellow Sunrise fire-rescue co-workers were present when the sentence was read. The judge gave Bell two weeks to arrange for childcare. She was ordered to surrender July 31 to begin her prison sentence.