BY TIMOTHY LA ROCHE
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CLAREMONT — City officials say a fire department captain who faces charges of driving into a house and leaving the scene while allegedly drunk has not worked any shifts since his Jan. 18 arrest.
Capt. Jeffrey Morin pleaded not guilty in Windsor County Superior Court in White River Junction, Vt., last week to two counts of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol, vehicle operation with reckless or gross negligence and leaving the scene of an accident.
Court records state the incident occurred on Jan. 18.
Morin was placed on paid administrative leave on Jan. 19 following his arrest the previous night for allegedly driving his pick-up truck into a Weathersfield, Vt., home and driving away. According to police affidavits, Morin allegedly had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.144 percent during the incident.
On Feb. 11, Morin’s paid leave lapsed, leaving him to use accrued personal and vacation time until he retires from the fire department on March 16, City Manager Ryan McNutt said.
“Captain Morin has performed no duties, has not responded to any calls for [Claremont Fire Department] service, or commanded a fire crew since being placed on leave Jan. 19,” McNutt said. “While using his personal time until his eligible retirement in March, Jeffrey Morin will not be responding to [Claremont Fire Department] calls for service.”
Vermont State Police arrested Morin at the Sunoco Gas Station on Route 131 in Weathersfield, Vt., shortly after 7 p.m. on Jan. 18 after receiving a report that he allegedly struck a house with his 2007 Dodge 3500. Police on scene observed damage to the plow mounted on Morin’s truck as well as his passenger side tires and lights.
According to affidavits, Morin allegedly left the roadway and crossed a sidewalk, hitting a stone wall and wooden fence in Weathersfield resident Brenda Pellerin’s yard before hitting the home’s front porch. The road was dry and free of debris in the area of the collision.
After the crash, Morin allegedly fled the scene of the accident. The homeowner’s son followed Morin to the Sunoco station before taking away the keys to his truck.
Morin also allegedly failed several standardized field sobriety tests before being transported to the Westminster State Police barracks for processing on suspicion of DUI.
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