Chief struggles with arrest of veteran firefighter on charge of being drunk at emergency scene
A Bethel Volunteer Fire Department member who responded to a serious motor-vehicle crash Tuesday is facing a charge of driving while under the influence, the Vermont State Police say.
Police said two people riding a motorcycle were injured in the crash, with one person sustaining a severed leg, the other a severed foot.
Troopers said they detected an odor of intoxicants from James Hart, 66, when he arrived on Camp Brook Road shortly after the crash at about 2:25 p.m. Tuesday.
The fire chief needs to figure out how to move forward after 66-year-old veteran firefighter James Hart responded to a serious motorcycle accident while intoxicated.
“He was driving his personal vehicle…he lives probably a mile down the road and he drove it up. The hard part for us is Jim is a really good guy, he’s served his community for so many years, and he made a mistake,” (Chief DAVID) Aldrighetti said.
“I don’t know what you do for punishment. We’ve never done it. My honest belief is what he’s going through right now – mentally – is a lot of punishment,” Aldrighetti said.
