Asst. Fire Chief dinged for speeding to a fire call

[jmur5074]

A Gibsonville fi refi ghter arrested last month on his way to an apartment fire no longer faces felony charges, but the district attorney's office won't say whether the traffi c offenses he racked up that day will stick.
Gibsonville Fire Assistant Chief Joseph Loy was charged by Elon University campus police on Oct. 9 with flee/elude arrest, which is a felony, as well as speeding, failing to stop at a red light, reckless driving, failing to heed to a light or siren and unsafe passing yellow line.

Loy's daughter, Crystal Thompson, maintains that her father was on his way to a fire the night in question, and she doesn't think he should have been charged at all. The district attorney's office agreed, at least in regard to the flee/elude arrest charge.

Assistant District Attorney Pat Nadolski dismissed the felony charge Oct. 15. His reasoning was "insufficient evidence," according to court records.

"All evidence shows the defendant was acting in his capacity as an assistant volunteer fi re chief and was responding to a fire call concerning an apartment fire, that he drove to the Gibsonville Fire Department and stopped his vehicle at the Fire Department to respond to the fi re with other Gibsonville fi remen," court records state.

Nadolski said he couldn't comment on the other charges. District Attorney Rob Johnson said they will be disposed of in court, which means they could be either dismissed or prosecuted.

Thompson said her father was working at his shop on Haggard Avenue in Elon when the fire call came in at about 10 p.m. Oct. 9. Loy, who has volunteered with the department for more than 36 years, was driving the family's third vehicle at the time, and didn't have the strobe light that he typically turns on when responding to a fi re.

Loy put the vehicle's hazard lights on and headed to the Gibsonville Fire Department. Elon University Police Offi -- cer J. Tillotson pulled behind Loy on West Haggard Avenue near University Drive. Loy saw the police car behind him and saw the fl ashing lights, Thompson said.

"He thought it was a cop going to the fi re call," Thompson said.

Loy didn't think there was a problem. When he arrived at the Gibsonville Fire Department, he found out otherwise.

"He was getting ready to go on the (fire) truck and was handcuffed and slapped with a felony and fi ve traffi c violations," Thompson said. "It's really sad that a cop would do that to a fi reman."

Loy is accused of driving 55 mph in a 35 mph zone. He allegedly passed vehicles in a no-passing zone and went through a red traffic light, according to court records.

Thompson said that Loy tried to explain that he was a fi refighter, but the offi cer allegedly wouldn't listen. Loy was taken to the Alamance County magistrate's offi ce and charged.

"Even at the Police Department and at the Sheriff's Department, he tried to explain," she said. "The cop just wanted to keep throwing charges at him. They never asked him if he needed to call anybody. Luckily, we heard about it because they didn't ever give him a chance."


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N.C. Assistant Chief Busted For Speeding to Apartment Fire | Firehouse.com

[Pudge]

Yep.....definitely more to the story on this one.

[Five-0]

Yep.....definitely more to the story on this one.

No doubt. So if I take drive with some police cars running code in my POV would it be alright? No wait, I'll put my flashers on.

[ex401mp]

All that idiot had to do was stop, explain what was up and I am willing to bet he would have been sent on his way once it was clarified. To say that he did not know that the police car following behind him with the lights and siren on wanted him to stop is an insult to everyone's intelligence.

[CTR man]

I bet that he makes sure that he has and uses that strobe light that he was issued next time. How else in the world is the LEO supposed to know that he is FD in a POV going to a call?

No doubt. So if I take drive with some police cars running code in my POV would it be alright? No wait, I'll put my flashers on.

Maybe if your POV was a CV. Bonus points if it is white or black. Just kidding. Even so, it still wouldn't be allowed to my knowledge.

[Pudge]

I'll take:

"Prior history between the PD and FD for $1000, Alex"

[Five-0]

I'll take:

"Prior history between the PD and FD for $1000, Alex"

The fact that is is a Volunteer FD makes it a Daily Double.

[pgg]

What part of yield to an emergency vehicle doesn't he understand?

[CTR man]

I'll take:

"Prior history between the PD and FD for $1000, Alex"

The fact that is is a Volunteer FD makes it a Daily Double.

The fact that it is the Asst. Fire Chief makes it Final Jeopardy.

[Jks9199]

All that idiot had to do was stop, explain what was up and I am willing to bet he would have been sent on his way once it was clarified. To say that he did not know that the police car following behind him with the lights and siren on wanted him to stop is an insult to everyone's intelligence.

I agree. Yeah -- I'm sure there's some back story, too.

But, with no lights, no siren... the fire chief had no business driving like he was running code, either. That's one reason that I'm not a fan of vollies having lights for POVs... Yeah, in some places, they're needed but I think they need appropriate training, not just being given a light.