By Aimee Dolloff
Bangor Daily News
BURLINGTON, Maine — He wasn't headed to a fire, but a local fire chief was charged with operating under the influence while driving the department's tanker truck shortly after midnight last Saturday.
Triangle Fire Department Chief Russell Banks, 34, of Burlington was arrested and taken to the Lincoln Police Department where a blood alcohol test showed he had consumed twice the legal limit to be driving, according to Penobscot County Sheriff's Office Deputy Chief Troy Morton.
Authorities were contacted by a Burlington resident who called dispatch to see whether there was a fire in the area. When he was told that there wasn't, the resident asked to speak with a deputy because he thought he was being harassed.
"[He] said a fireman was driving past [his] house with a firetruck and blasting the siren in retaliation for an ongoing neighborhood dispute," Morton read from the police report.
The deputy located the fire tanker, but reported that the siren and lights weren't on. The deputy asked Banks to wait while he went to speak to the complainant.
Later, while talking to Banks, the deputy noticed the smell of alcohol and that the driver's eyes were bloodshot.
Banks admitted to consuming alcohol and agreed to a blood alcohol test.
"He was extremely cooperative," Morton said.
He added that the harassment complaint remains under investigation and is separate from the charge for operating under the influence.
Banks was taken to the Lincoln Police Department and, before being released, was issued a summons for operating under the influence. Morton was unsure of Banks' court date, but said it was expected to be after the first of the year.
Banks could not be reached Thursday for comment.
The Triangle Fire Department is a volunteer association that is not directly connected to any of the three towns with which it contracts to provide fire services. The fire vehicles are owned by the association, not the towns of Burlington, Lowell or Grand Falls.
Copyright 2007 Bangor Daily News
