Investigators said a off-duty firefighter was driving under the influence when he crashed the truck into a tree on Woodlawn Ave. The vehicle then rolled over and landed on the lawn of a nearby home, and he broke his neck in the process. Hit the jump to read the rest of the story.
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An off-duty firefighter accused of stealing a “special hazards” truck and crashing it during a joyride faced the judge Wednesday morning.
Clayton Hardon, 22, was released following his arraignment on a misdemeanor DUI charge.
Police said on July 19, Hardon stole the truck from the Dreadnaught Fire Company in Bristol, where he is a volunteer.
Investigators said Hardon was driving under the influence when he crashed the truck into a tree on Woodlawn Ave. The vehicle then rolled over and landed on the lawn of a nearby home, about four-feet away from the house.
“I heard the crash. It woke me around 1a.m. on Saturday,” said homeowner John Eastman.”It came within a short distance of the corner of the house.”
“If it wasn’t for that tree, the truck would have been right through the house,” said homeowner Frank Vaccaro.
Hardon, who appeared in court wearing a neck brace, suffered a broken neck and severe head injuries in the accident.
While Hardon was arraigned on the DUI charge; a Sept. 19 court date is set for the other charges, including larceny of a motor vehicle.
Despite the charges, Hardon’s lawyer, former House Speaker John Harwood, described his client as a good kid.
“This young man is a quality young man,” he said.
