Ind. chief arrested for intoxicated driving after crashing during emergency call

BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY, Ind. — Elizabethtown Volunteer Fire Department Assistant Chief Thomas Nienaber was arrested on March 9 for operating a vehicle while intoxicated after overturning a department vehicle while responding to a structure fire.

Deputies found the vehicle on its side in a residential driveway, with Nienaber trapped inside. Witnesses reported that the truck had its lights and sirens activated before leaving the roadway and rolling over, FOX 59 reported.

After being freed by firefighters, Nienaber exhibited signs of alcohol impairment. He was transported to Columbus Regional Hospital for a blood draw and subsequently arrested on preliminary OWI charges. WTHR reported Nienaber has since been released on a $2,500 bond.

The incident report has been forwarded to the Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s Office for further review.

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