Fire department deputy chief arrested after crash

A volunteer fire department deputy chief is being charged with drunk driving after a crash on the way to a fire.

According to the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, deputies were called to the crash of an Elizabethtown Volunteer Fire Department pickup truck in the 12000 block of East Legal Tender Road, with the driver still inside at about 8:32 p.m. Sunday night. Witnesses said the vehicle was running with lights and sirens activated when it left the road and rolled over.

The driver, 67-year-old Thomas Nienaber of Elizabethtown was rescued from the overturned vehicle by firefighters on the scene.

Deputies say that Nienaber was on his way to a structure fire on South County Road 750E.

Recognizing signs of alcohol use, deputies took Nienaber to Columbus Regional Health to have his blood tested. After that he was arrested on a charge of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated.

Information on the incident has been forwarded to the Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s Office for further review, according to the sheriff’s department.

Photos courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department.