DALE COUNTY, Ala (WDHN) — Judge Kimberly Crawford has sided with the towns of Pinkard and Napier Field in the fight for two power stretchers.

The fight started when Pinkard and Napier Field officials filed a lawsuit against Midland City, requesting Midland City return two power stretchers after they were accidentally sold to Midland City.

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, allegedly 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.

According to the final order, filed Monday, August 7, testimony revealed the ambulances purchased from South Dale EMS were originally equipped with manual stretchers, not power stretchers, and there was no evidence that Pinkard or Napier Field sold or donated the power stretchers to South Dale EMS.

The order states the stretchers were “shipped to” South Dale EMS for use as long as the ambulances provided help to Pinkard and Napier Field, and South Dale EMS had no authority to sell the two power stretchers.

Judge Crawford ordered that the two power stretchers be returned to Pinkard and Napier Field, and the manual stretchers originally in the ambulances are the property of Midland City.