A New Hampshire man is facing multiple charges after allegedly stealing a rescue truck from firefighters who were battling a blaze at his home. The incident occurred early Tuesday morning in Dalton.
Authorities said Nestor Roman II, 30, of Dalton, allegedly took a Whitefield Fire & Rescue F550 rescue truck shortly before 5 a.m. while crews were engaged in fighting a fully involved structure fire on Faraway Road and Mountain Road. Multiple neighboring departments had responded to assist.
According to New Hampshire State Police, troopers were en route to support the Dalton Fire & Rescue response when they were informed of the stolen vehicle. The fire department stated that Roman, after allegedly taking the truck, drove around Whitefield's E3 fire engine, narrowly missing three firefighters. The stolen vehicle then reportedly crashed into the E3 engine and a small pickup truck.
While fleeing the scene, Roman allegedly drove over multiple water supply lines. Dalton Fire & Rescue reported that two charged hoses were run over but sustained no damage. The stolen rescue truck also allegedly struck a firefighter's personal vehicle further down the road and damaged fences at two neighboring properties.
State police apprehended Roman several miles away after a Dalton homeowner reported that the stolen rescue vehicle had crashed on their property. The homeowner also reported Roman was attempting to take items from their porch. Upon arrival, troopers found Roman on the porch, where he was taken into custody without further incident.
Roman has been charged with three felony counts of reckless conduct with a deadly weapon, burglary, and two counts of theft by unauthorized taking. He also faces misdemeanor charges including obstructing government administration, four counts of conduct after an accident, resisting arrest and detention, driving after suspension, and two counts of driving over a fire hose without consent.
The Dalton home was deemed a total loss. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the New Hampshire State Fire Marshal's Office. Fire officials expressed gratitude that no firefighters were physically injured during the incident. Despite the damage, Whitefield's E3 fire engine remained operational.