2 Who Aided Accident Victim May Be at Risk of AIDS Virus

Authorities were concerned Monday that two men who gave cardiopulmonary resuscitation to a dying and bloody homeless man may have been exposed to the victim’s HIV infection, which causes AIDS.

Authorities issued an alert Monday for the two good Samaritans, who left the scene of the accident here after an ambulance crew took over.

The men, who were not identified, contacted the Sonoma County Department of Public Health on Monday afternoon, said California Highway Patrol Officer Wayne Ziese.

The 39-year-old homeless man, who has not been publicly identified pending notification of next of kin, was struck by a van Saturday night as he walked on U.S. 101 north of Windsor. One of his would-be rescuers gave him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, while the other compressed his chest.

The homeless man died at the scene, Ziese said.

Jail records showed that the homeless man had tested positive for HIV.

Emergency crews normally use a special one-way mask placed over the mouth of the victim to prevent fluids from passing from the victim’s mouth to the rescuer’s.