After an alleged DUI hit-and-run incident, a firefighter drove into a muddy ravine, left his car behind and crawled through the mud to escape arrest and went home. When officers arrived at 3:30 a.m. the man claimed that the mud covering him was due to some early morning gardening, as reported by Oregon Live.
D.K.L., 53, facing multiple charges stemming from the DUI-fueled accident, pleaded guilty to DUI of intoxicants. He has been sentenced to two years of enhanced bench probation, driver's license suspension for one year, and a possibility of both alcohol treatment and serving 80 hours of community service. He was given the choice of being incarcerated for two days to replace 55 hours of community service.
On November 18, at approximately 2:30 a.m., Portland police had been called to Southwest 62nd Drive and Dickinson Street due to several incidents with a vehicle leading up to a loss of power in the area.
A Ford Ranger SUV, which had severed a PGE utility pole and a mailbox, was found down an embankment.
Due to the power being out it, and live power lines, it was deemed too dangerous for first responders to approach the SUV. But worried firefighters, after learning that the car was registered to fellow firefighter D.K.L., went to his home a half-mile away.
The door was unlocked but no one was inside the house. Doubling back to the scene of the accident, there was also no one in the car or near the crash.
When police arrived at D.K.L.’s home a little later they waited for several moments for someone to answer their knocks at the door. They reported that after some time, D.K.L. staggered to the door in response, covered in mud and soaking wet.
D.K.L. told the officers that his dirty appearance was due to gardening. Allegedly the officer told D.K.L. that he didn’t buy his story and pressed him further. D.K.L. told the officer that he would tell him the truth, if the officer would leave his home. The officer refused and arrested D.K.L. at 3:49 a.m.
D.K.L.’s blood alcohol proved to be twice the legal limit – it registered at .17 percent. He was charged with DUI, reckless driving, hit-and-run driving and second-degree criminal mischief.
This is not the first time that D.K.L. has been arrested for DUI. He was arrested with three other firefighters – all off duty – in 2011. D.K.L., a 26-year veteran with the fire bureau, was found guilty.
The fire bureau has begun development of a DUI prevention program that will be presented later this month to all 30 fire stations.
The bureau will not be disciplining D.K.L. in this current charge. He will, however, have his salary reduced by 3 percent during the time of his license suspension.
D.K.L. had been receiving a higher salary for driving a fire truck.
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