By Erica Meltzer
The Daily Camera
BOULDER, Colo. — A Longmont man was ticketed early Wednesday morning after police said he ran into the back of a Boulder fire truck that was responding to a call.
According to a police report, Richard Zuniga, 29, was driving east on Baseline Road in a 2001 BMW X5 around 2 a.m. when a pumper truck from the Boulder Fire Department came up behind him with its lights on, Boulder police spokeswoman Kim Kobel said.
Instead of pulling over to the right, as another vehicle on the road did, Zuniga went into the northbound left-turn lane at 29th Street and Baseline, Kobel said. The fire truck needed to turn left and was forced to make the turn from the through-lane because Zuniga was in the left-turn lane.
As the fire truck was making the turn, Zuniga’s bumper hit the left side rear of the fire truck, Kobel said.
Zuniga told officers that he never moved from where he stopped in the turn lane.
However, two passengers in his car told police he pulled forward about 10 feet before striking the truck, Kobel said. The location of the debris was consistent with the passengers’ account.
Zuniga received a ticket for improper operation on approach of an emergency vehicle, Kobel said.
Copyright 2011 Prairie Mountain Publishing
All Rights Reserved