Fire Law Blog Fire Service and Public Safety Legal Issues Blog by Curt Varone
A volunteer firefighter in Virginia who was facing reckless driving charges following an apparatus accident, has agreed to plead guilty to a reduced charge of improper driving. Conor Wright, 25, was driving a Front Royal Volunteer Fire and Rescue engine back to quarters following a run when he swerved to avoid rear-ending a stopped vehicle, and collided with a vehicle coming in the opposite direction.
The November 11, 2021 accident seriously injured a man who had to be flown by helicopter to the hospital. He reportedly was “laid-up” for 111 days and incurred over $100,000 in medical expenses. According to the Northern Virginia Daily, an attorney for the injured man contends that Wright’s engine was traveling at 70 miles per hour. However, the criminal complaint alleged he was traveling at 50 to 60 miles per hour in a 45 mph zone.
The reckless driving charge included a potential sentence of 12 months in jail and a fine of up to $2,500. News reports about the plea are not entirely clear, but from what it appears, Wright agreed to pay a $500 fine plus $74 in court costs for the improper driving charge. He also must remain charge-free for a year.
