Two Indianapolis firefighters were struck by a drunk driver on Interstate 65 Saturday morning. One was seriously injured.
Firefighters were awaiting the arrival of the Indiana State Patrol after a car went off the interstate around 4 a.m. when a car drove through the incident scene.
Ladder 30's apparatus was blocking the right lane when '(f)irefighters say the driver came through the scene - between the Ladder and the car in the grass - speeding along the gravel berm. The two firefighters were standing at the front edge of the ladder and struck about bumper level," the department shared in a Facebook statement.
The impact of the car sent one firefighter airborne and the other was pinned underneath the car.
On-scene crews called for more resources as they worked to free the trapped firefighter and treat both injured members.
Both firefighters were rushed to Eskenazi Hospital with a trauma alert being called for one of them.
One firefighter is listed in serious but non-life threatening injuries. The other was treated and released.
Fire officials said the ladder truck sustained a broken windshield and light damage.
The Indiana State Patrol arrested Christino Rodrigo Alva, 30, of Pueblo Mexico and charged him with: Operating while intoxicated resulting in serious bodily injury, Operating while intoxicated endangering a person, Operating while intoxicated with a BAC at or above .15, Operating without ever having received a license.
Peter Matthews | Editor-in-Chief/Conference Director
Peter Matthews is the conference director and editor-in-chief of Firehouse. He has worked at Firehouse since 1999, serving in various roles on both Firehouse Magazine and Firehouse.com staffs. He completed an internship with the Rochester, NY, Fire Department and served with fire departments in Rush, NY, and Laurel, MD, and was a lieutenant with the Glenwood Fire Company in Glenwood, NY. Matthews served as photographer for the St. Paul, MN, Fire Department.
