Moody v. Oxford Emergency Medical Services Inc et al

On October 1, 2018, 20-year-old University of Mississippi student Alexis "Allie" Moody was fatally struck by an ambulance operated by Oxford Emergency Medical Services Inc. in Oxford, Mississippi. The ambulance was transporting a non-emergency patient without activated lights or sirens when it hit Moody as she crossed Jackson Avenue. Her parents, John and Stacey Moody, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the ambulance company and its driver, Timothy L. Smith, alleging negligence. The case centered on whether the driver failed to exercise reasonable care and whether the company's policies for non-emergency transport were adequate. The parties reached a $2.75 million settlement in 2021, avoiding a trial.

The wrongful death lawsuit was resolved through a confidential settlement agreement in 2021. Public reports indicate that the defendants agreed to pay $2.75 million to the Moody family to settle the claims.

The central dispute was whether the ambulance driver operated the vehicle negligently by not using warning lights and sirens during a non-emergency transport, and whether Oxford Emergency Medical Services Inc. failed to establish or enforce adequate safety policies to protect pedestrians.

The case prompted renewed scrutiny of ambulance driving protocols during non-emergency calls, leading to policy reviews by local emergency medical services. It also heightened awareness of pedestrian safety vulnerabilities in busy university areas, spurring community discussions on improving crosswalks and traffic calming measures.