Vehicular homicide investigators, who respond to all traffic incidents involving deaths or critical injuries, were not called out to the scene of the 10 a.m. crash of an American Medical Response ambulance, which was taking a patient from Kapi'olani Medical Center-Pali Momi to Straub Hospital & Clinic in a nonemergency situation. The ambulance veered off the roadway and hit a utility pole.

Police said the 35-year-old driver, who is classified as an emergency medical technician, may have dozed off.

His partner Frank Tahere, a 60-year-old mobile intensive care technician, was tending to the patient when the crash occurred. Tahere was taken to The Queen's Medical Center with what appeared to be at the time noncritical injuries. Tahere, however, suffered a neck fracture and brain hemorrhage and died Saturday.

An autopsy was performed yesterday and the cause of death has been deferred.

Vehicular homicide officers have classified the investigation as a "Type III, negligent homicide" case. Type I and Type II negligent homicide involve alcohol or substance abuse and reckless driving, respectively, and are felonies. Type III includes inattentive driving and is a misdemeanor.

Speedy Bailey, a spokes-man for American Medical Response, said the driver has been placed on administrative leave and that the company is continuing its own investigation into the incident.

The driver was in the middle of his regularly scheduled shift, Bailey said. American Medical Response schedules range from eight- to 24-hour shifts that are set up comparable to those of other emergency service providers such as police, fire and hospital personnel.

The driver on the day of the crash was working a 16-hour shift that began at midnight Friday.