Allegedly Drunk Man Attempts to Flee Car Fire Scene With Fire & Rescue Apparatus

An allegedly intoxicated driver attempted to flee the scene of a car fire with Chelan Fire & Rescue's command vehicle Saturday night. According to assistant fire chief Brandon Asher, Chelan Fire and Rescue arrived to a car fully involved with fire on Highway 97, just south of milepost 240 at 11:12 p.m. The fire was spreading to the brush when crews quickly stopped the spread and worked on extinguishing the car fire.

In the mean time, the intoxicated driver was reportedly in the driver's seat of Battalion 71's command vehicle, preparing to flee the scene when he was discovered by a Chelan County Sheriff deputy.

"While the three of us were attacking the brush fire, got that out and got the car fire out, we heard a whistle from the only officer that was on scene. He was back at my command apparatus, handcuffing the driver of the car that had burned," said Asher.

The deputy apprehended the man before he was able to flee.