A 19-year-old woman, a police officer and a fire official were among the passengers on a pumper truck taken for an unauthorized drunken joyride in Loudoun County last weekend, News4 has learned.
Authorities say all of those who were on the truck were off-duty volunteer firefighters in Loudoun County and all have resigned their positions in the fire service. Authorities say they were all intoxicated.
Officials say the volunteers took the pumper truck from the old Hamilton fire station, where it was being stored. The truck was stopped on a rural county road about 2:30 a.m. after it crossed the center line and forced a county sheriff's deputy to drive his cruiser into a ditch to avoid a head-on collision, officials said.
So far, only the driver has been charged. He's been identified as Hamilton Fire volunteer Sean Swanson. He's been charged with DUI and unauthorized use of a vehicle.
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Sheriff's department investigators say the case is in the hands of the commonwealth's attorney's office, which should decide sometime next week if the passengers will face charges. Investigators say they could be charged with unauthorized use of the truck, which is a felony.
A Leesburg Police officer was a passenger on the truck. A department spokesman says he's been on the force for several years and has been placed on administrative leave pending the investigation.
Another passenger is a member of the Loudoun County Fire Rescue Commission, which is charged with overseeing the county's stations. Officials say he resigned his post.
Officials say they believe the group was drinking at a house next to the old fire station where the pumper truck was being stored. The house belongs to the station and is rented out to volunteers who work at the fire station.
Officials say they're examining what role, if any, the house played in the escapade. There could be a push to stop renting the house to volunteers if it's shown the house is contributing to these kinds of incidents, officials say.
Neighbors say it's a known party house for firefighters.
