DALE COUNTY, Ala (WDHN) — Judge Kimberly Crawford has ordered two stretchers be stored at the Dale County Coroner’s Office until a county-wide dispute can be settled.

On May 1, Pinckard and Napier Field filed a lawsuit against Midland City, requesting Midland City return two power stretchers in their possession after it was accidentally sold to them.

According to the lawsuit, on January 30, 2021, the town of Pinckard bought two Ferno Power Stretchers for $15,545 each and loaned them to South Dale EMS, which shut down the night of January 14, 2023.

On February 7, ambulances, containing the stretchers, from South Dale EMS were sold to Midland City, but the lawsuit claims the stretchers were not able to be sold since they were purchased with funds from the CARES Act.

Should the stretchers not be returned, Pinckard and Napier Field are asking they be awarded $30,688.81, plus costs and attorney fees.

On Friday, May 12, Judge Kimberly Crawford ordered the Dale County Sheriff’s Office to seize and confiscate the two stretchers from Midland City and be brought to a climate-controlled storage facility.

A hearing was held Monday, May 22, and according to a source inside the courtroom, Judge Crawford revealed the stretchers were not taken to the storage facility, but instead were in the use of Ozark EMS. Judge Crawford gave the towns 48 hours to decide where to temporarily place the power stretchers until the final hearing on July 24.

On Thursday, May 25, a motion was filed stating the towns came to a mutual agreement that the stretchers should be stored at the Dale County Coroners Office until the final hearing.