Wrecked Fire Truck Leads to DUI Charge for Volunteer Miss. Firefighter

March 19--TUPELO -- A Lee County volunteer firefighter was charged with driving under the influence after wrecking a fire engine Thursday evening.

The Unity-Fellowship Volunteer Fire Department engine was traveling south on County Road 811 (Old Saltillo Road) just south of Barnes Crossing Road when it left the road and came to rest in a rain-soaked field.

The driver, Phillip W. Gasaway, told authorities he was headed to a grass fire with flashing lights and siren when a small green car pulled out of Scruggs Farm. He said he swerved to avoid the car and lost control.

The truck ran off the right side of the road. Gasaway overcorrected the steering and the 2004 International 4400 fire engine went all the way across the road and off the left side.

"There was a witness who was sitting on his porch," said Lee County Sheriff Jim Johnson. "He said he saw the fire truck traveling at a high rate of speed lose it and go off the road. He said he never saw another car pull out.

"The deputies responding to the scene saw that the driver was impaired, and he was brought to the jail and charged with DUI first."

Gasaway, 34, of 619A County Road 811, Saltillo, was booked into the Lee County-Tupelo Adult Jail at 8 p.m. Thursday. He was released two hours later after posting his portion of a $1,400 bond on the misdemeanor charge.

According to Lee County Fire Coordinator Marc Flanagan, there are no state certifications for driving a fire truck. A commercial driver's license is not required to operate the vehicle that is more than 30 feet long and can weigh more than 50,000 pounds.

"It is left up to each department," Flanagan said. "They all do some driver training, but there is not a state standard.

"It's more of a liability thing and left up to each chief."

Because volunteer firemen are volunteers, there is no hiring requirements.

Flanagan said departments can't even run background checks on prospective volunteer firemen.

"You can kick someone out, ask them to leave or fire them, so to speak," Flanagan said.

Unity Fire Chief Harold Sanford could not be reached to comment on Gasaway's status with the department or the severity of damage the truck suffered.

A post Friday afternoon on the department's Facebook page addressed the situation and said Gasaway is no longer with the department.

"Unity Fellowship volunteer fire department wants to apologize for this unfortunate incident," the post read. "We would like to insure our community the firefighter is no longer with us and we will continue to strive to serve our people to the best of our abilities."

william.moore@journalinc.com

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