Guilderland police arrested Thomas M. Fortune, a captain in the Stanford Heights Fire Department, on Friday May, 7 and charged him with DWI.
According to police, Fortune was responding to a fire at 2729 Curry Road when he was stopped by Officer Don Jones, who was also responding to the fire and was in the process of assisting the fire department in establishing a roadblock.
According to Captain Curtis Cox, of the Guilderland Police Department, as Jones approached Fortune’s vehicle, Fortune sped away, clipping Jones in the process.
Police eventually caught up with Fortune and upon questioning arrested him for DWI. According to police, Fortune had a BAC of 0.15. In addition to DWI, Fortune was charged with reckless driving, reckless endangerment, and failure to comply with a lawful order.
Cox said that as a result of being clipped by Fortune, Jones experienced minor pains in his arm; however, there was no serious injury.
Dale Monlea, chief of the Stanford Heights Fire Department said that Jones has been put on administrative leave until his court appearance. `That is our way of dealing with it right now,` said Monlea.
Fortune is due to appear in Guilderland Town Court on Thursday, May 20 at 5:30 p.m.
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