Detroit fire captain arrested after crashing department vehicle under influence of alcohol, sources say

DETROIT – A Detroit fire chief’s SUV was found dangling above the Lodge Freeway at Milwaukee and Baltimore early Monday morning.

The SUV was the Detroit Fire Department’s Chief 5. A fire captain was taken into custody on Monday. Sources said the captain was driving under the influence.

The incident began Monday morning at 2 a.m. when a call came out about a fire on Detroit’s west side at Majestic and Livernois.

The captain was supposed to be at the call, he would serve as the head coach of the firefighting operation. Repeated calls were made on the radio, but the captain could not be reached, sources said.

Eventually, the captain was found in the department’s SUV, hanging over the Lodge Freeway. He was unable to get out of the SUV. He said he was not injured.

This incident comes one week after a Detroit firefighter on the east side crashed a fire engine. The department said he was driving drunk.

READ: Detroit firefighters call for change following drunken engine crash