By Jesse McLean
The Toronto Star
TORONTO — A top Toronto fire official is the latest emergency worker to be charged under racing laws after police clocked a department SUV travelling 150 km/h (about 93 mph) on Hwy. 401.
Deputy Fire Chief Daryl Fuglerud was driving with another deputy fire chief to the funeral of a retired firefighter in the Kingston area when his red Toyota Highlander was pulled over Friday morning just outside Port Hope.
The Highlander, which belongs to Toronto Fire Services, has been impounded for seven days, and the driver's licence has been suspended for a week.
"It's an unfortunate situation that I'm going to have to work through," Fuglerud said.
When asked whether he thinks the charge will tarnish his reputation, Fuglerud said, "I haven't even thought that far."
He said he wasn't running late for the funeral but would not elaborate why he was allegedly going 50 km/h over the speed limit.
Fuglerud was on duty at the time, Acting Fire Chief Frank Lamie said.
Fuglerud has been with the city's fire department for 28 years, and in 2007, was promoted to deputy fire chief of staff services, administration and communications, which oversees everything from recruitment to payroll.
If convicted, he faces a fine between $2,000 and $10,000.
He is scheduled to appear in court in Cobourg on Aug. 5.
Fuglerud is the latest on-duty emergency worker to be charged under the street-racing and stunt-driving legislation since it was passed in May 2008.
OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino championed the change as a way to decrease the "senseless carnage" on Ontario highways, vowing it will do so "one irresponsible driver at a time."
Three OPP officers have been charged since.
Copyright 2009 Toronto Star Newspapers, Ltd. 
