COLUMBUS, Ind. — A firefighter with the Columbus Fire Department (CFD) has been placed on administrative leave after he allegedly drove under the influence, hit and injured someone, and then left the scene last week.
On March 15, the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) responded to East County Road 500N and North County Road 1150E. A bicyclist said he was going north on County Road 115E when a red pickup struck him and then went west onto East County Road 500N, per BCSO. The victim was transported to Columbus Regional Health (CRH) for evaluation.
Investigators determined that a car driven by Nicholas Tuttle, 35, a CFD firefighter, was involved in the incident.
The suspect underwent field sobriety tests, ultimately registering a breath alcohol content (Brac) of .11. He was taken to Bartholomew County Jail (BCJ) and preliminarily charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated – endangerment and leaving the scene of an accident causing moderate to severe bodily injury. Two children were inside Tuttle’s vehicle and were released to their mother. The fireman was not on duty at the time of the incident, per CFD.
“We hold our firefighters to a standard that exemplifies fire service professionalism, public trust, and dedication to public safety while on duty and off duty. This incident will be addressed according to department policy,” said Fire Chief Andy Lay.
“The incident is being reviewed by Fire Department Administration and recommendations will be forwarded to the City of Columbus Board of Public Works and Safety to determine disciplinary action,” CFD said in a statement.