By Brent D. Wistrom
The Wichita Eagle
 
WICHITA, Kan. — No criminal charges will be filed against the driver of a semi who knocked over a utility pole and power lines that sparked a grass fire and led to the death of a Sedgwick County firefighter, according to the district attorney's office.

The driver was not aware that she had struck a power pole and was not aware of the resulting grass fire, according to a statement released Monday by Sedgwick County District Attorney Nola Foulston.

The announcement comes one week after Sedgwick County fire Lt. Bryon Johnson, 32, was killed when he came into contact with an electrical wire while fighting the blaze.

The district attorney's office said the 46-year-old driver has been charged with state traffic violations, but Georgia Cole, a spokeswoman for Foulston, said she could not elaborate on those charges.

Cole also declined to release the driver's name.

Sedgwick County sheriff's officials with knowledge of the investigation declined to comment, citing policies that prohibit them from commenting after a case has been given to the district attorney's office.

According to previous interviews, the driver had driven past "No through traffic" signs near 9400 S. Broadway until she reached a bridge closed for repairs and tried to make a U-turn onto an access road next to Broadway.

The driver told authorities she didn't realize she had hit the pole as she was trying to turn around after driving into a dead end.

The truck pushed the pole over, leaving a mark where the trailer hit it, Fire Division Chief Buddy Pressnell said.

"We agree totally with the district attorney and sheriff's department," Sedgwick County Fire Chief Gary Curmode said.

Lt. Johnson's widow, Arianna, could not be reached for comment.

Curmode said he and many other fire officials are still "mentally tired and emotionally spent" following Johnson's death and the investigations and ceremonies that have followed.

But, he said, "we're hanging in there."

The Kansas Department of Labor routinely studies fatal accidents involving public employees, but no findings have yet been issued, according to department spokeswoman Beth Martino.

Copyright 2007 The Wichita Eagle
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News