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NC chief faces charge after driving fire truck into pole

By David Allen
The Shelby Star

POLKVILLE, N.C. — A fire engine from Cleveland County struck a utility pole on Jack Moore Mountain Road while en route to a structure fire early Tuesday, Rutherford County Communications confirmed.

Polkville Fire Chief Jerry Silver, of West Stagecoach Trail, was behind the wheel at the time, said Highway Patrol Trooper J.A. Spence.

When reached by phone Wednesday, Silver declined to comment on the incident.

No injuries were reported, Spence said. Silver is charged with failure to stop at a stop sign.

Given the drizzly and foggy conditions, Spence said, Silver’s visibility was impaired. Silver braked too late at the Hinton Creek Road intersection and went offroad, he added, striking a utility pole.

Rutherford Communications received report of the wreck at 4:20 a.m.

Spence estimated damages to the truck at around $10,000 with an additional $3,000 of damage done to the pole.

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