Firefighter faces drunk driving charge
A fireman in western Sweden is facing prosecution after allegedly driving a fire engine into a ditch while heavily under the influence of alcohol.
The 35-year-old firefighter was not officially on stand-by when his pager began beeping one evening at the end of August.
But when he said he was ready to work he was charged with driving a fire engine to a blaze near Ulricehamn, Borås Tidning reports.
He didn't make it too far though. Driving along the highway with his siren blaring, he drove the vehicle into a ditch at the side of the road.
While he sustained only minor injuries in the crash, the fire engine was so badly damaged that it needed to be towed away.
An alcohol test later showed that the fireman had been driving well above the legal limit. He however claimed that the crash occurred when he was changing channel on the radio and that he wasn't in the least bit drunk.
He admitted to drinking two glasses of whiskey over the course of the evening but added that the test result must have been wrong as it suggested a greater quantity of alcohol.
If convicted of driving under the influence he could face up to two years in jail.
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The 35-year-old firefighter was not officially on stand-by when his pager began beeping one evening at the end of August.
But when he said he was ready to work he was charged with driving a fire engine to a blaze near Ulricehamn, Borås Tidning reports.
He didn't make it too far though. Driving along the highway with his siren blaring, he drove the vehicle into a ditch at the side of the road.
While he sustained only minor injuries in the crash, the fire engine was so badly damaged that it needed to be towed away.
An alcohol test later showed that the fireman had been driving well above the legal limit. He however claimed that the crash occurred when he was changing channel on the radio and that he wasn't in the least bit drunk.
He admitted to drinking two glasses of whiskey over the course of the evening but added that the test result must have been wrong as it suggested a greater quantity of alcohol.
If convicted of driving under the influence he could face up to two years in jail.
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