A Dalton man is facing a lengthy list of charges after New Hampshire State Police say he stole a fire truck while firefighters were working to extinguish a fire at his home early Tuesday morning.
The suspect, identified as 30 year old Nestor Roman II, allegedly drove the stolen emergency vehicle through an active firefighting scene, struck another fire engine, drove over water supply lines and narrowly missed several firefighters.
Fire crews from Dalton and surrounding communities responded to the area of Faraway Road and Mountain Road shortly before 4 a.m. last Tuesday. According to WMUR, Roman was not inside the home when firefighters arrived.
While crews were battling the fire, authorities say Roman got into a Whitefield Fire & Rescue vehicle and drove away from the scene.
Police Say Firefighters Were Nearly Struck
According to New Hampshire State Police, Roman drove east on Faraway Road after taking the rescue vehicle.
Police said Roman struck another Whitefield Fire & Rescue engine that was actively being used to fight the fire. He also allegedly drove over multiple water supply lines and narrowly missed three firefighters.
Boston.com, citing state police, reported that wooden fences at two separate properties were also damaged during the incident.
Additional details released by Dalton fire officials and reported by NBC10 Boston indicate the close calls may have been even more serious. Officials said the driver nearly struck two firefighters and almost pinned a third between two vehicles. The stolen truck also allegedly struck a small pickup truck and a firefighter’s personal vehicle.
Despite the incident, no firefighters were reported injured.
Stolen Rescue Truck Later Crashed
The incident continued several miles from the original fire scene.
State police said troopers received a report from another Dalton homeowner that the stolen rescue vehicle had crashed on their property. The homeowner also reported that the suspect was attempting to take items from the porch.
Troopers arrived shortly afterward and located Roman on the porch. Police said he was uncooperative but was ultimately taken into custody.
Roman was transported to the Coös County jail.
Roman Faces Multiple Felony and Misdemeanor Charges
According to New Hampshire State Police, Roman was arrested on several felony charges, including:
- Three counts of reckless conduct with a deadly weapon
- Burglary
- Two counts of theft by unauthorized taking
He also faces misdemeanor charges of obstructing government administration, four counts of conduct after an accident, resisting arrest and detention, driving after suspension subsequent and two counts of driving over a fire hose without consent.
Roman was expected to be arraigned last Wednesday in Lancaster District Court.
Home Destroyed, Cause of Fire Under Investigation
While authorities dealt with the alleged theft and subsequent arrest, firefighters continued battling the blaze at Roman’s home.
According to WMUR, the house was destroyed in the fire. The cause remained under investigation.
NBC10 Boston reported that the Whitefield fire engine allegedly struck during the incident sustained significant damage but was still able to continue operating at the fire scene. The water supply hoses that were driven over were not damaged.
Fire officials said they were thankful the incident did not result in injuries to the firefighters working at the scene.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact New Hampshire State Police Trooper Allan Esty at 603-846-3333 or Allan.H.Esty@dos.nh.gov.
