Man Charged With Pretending to Be a Paramedic

A central Pennsylvania man is facing criminal charges after police said he impersonated a paramedic and told a man suffering a medical emergency that he didn't need to go to the hospital.
 
Twenty-year-old Zachary Charles Helsel of Middletown is charged with misdemeanor counts of impersonating a public servant and reckless endangerment.
 
Swatara Township police said earlier this month, Helsel falsely claimed to be a paramedic to a co-worker who was having a medical emergency.
 
Investigators said Helsel told the co-worker he was suffering from deep vein thrombosis and didn't need to seek treatment. Police said the co-worker's condition continued to worsen and he had to be transported to a hospital by ambulance.
 
Helsel's preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 22 in Dauphin County Court.