A New Hampshire man, Nestor Roman II, 30, is facing multiple felony charges after allegedly stealing a rescue truck from firefighters battling a blaze at his own burning home and subsequently crashing into a fire engine.
The incident occurred Tuesday around 3:50 a.m. in Dalton, New Hampshire, when state troopers were responding to a fully involved structure fire. While emergency crews from Dalton Fire & Rescue and neighboring departments worked to contain the flames, Roman allegedly entered a Whitefield Fire & Rescue F550 rescue truck and drove away shortly before 5 a.m.
According to Dalton Fire & Rescue, Roman drove the stolen vehicle around Whitefield’s E3 fire engine, narrowly missing two firefighters and a third who could have been pinned between the two vehicles. The suspect then allegedly crashed into the E3 fire engine and a small pickup truck while forcing their way onto the road.
State police reported that Roman drove over multiple water supply lines during his escape, though two charged hoses were run over without sustaining damage. Roman also reportedly struck a firefighter’s personal vehicle and damaged neighboring property, including wooden fences at two separate properties.
The pursuit concluded several miles away when a homeowner reported the stolen rescue vehicle had crashed on their property. Responding troopers found Roman on the porch of the property, and he was taken into custody after being uncooperative.
Roman faces 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.
Fire officials confirmed the Dalton home was a complete loss. The New Hampshire State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire. Despite the damage sustained, Whitefield's E3 fire engine remained operational, and firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze. Dalton Fire & Rescue expressed gratitude that no firefighters were physically injured during the incident.