Former Fire Chief Held For Court on DUI Charge

Former Lawrence Fire Chief Don Hindman was held for court Monday during a preliminary hearing before district for a charge of driving under the influence.

Hindman, 49, who later resigned his position from the fire department,

Sgt. Brian Douglass’ testimony included a verbatim reading of the criminal complaint in the case—telling the court that Hindman was assisting Southbridge EMS after a domestic call when police arrived.

Douglass said EMS workers requested that Hindman leave because his behavior was “potentially hazardous to the patient.”

The police sergeant said that after being asked several times, Hindman exited the home—and that during his interaction with the him, he noted that he smelled of alcohol and was unsteady on his feet, swaying as he stood.

The next time Douglass saw Hindman, he was driving the a fire-department pickup truck down a dead-end street, and then turned around, when he was stopped.

Douglass testified that Hindman failed field sobriety tests, and was placed under arrest for suspicion of DUI. He was handcuffed, and placed in the back of the Cecil police cruiser, where he was driven to the department for breath tests.

Douglass testified that the first breath test indicated Hindman’s blood-alcohol level was .254 percent. A second test indicated his blood-alcohol level was .253 percent.

The legal limit for intoxication is .08 percent.

After some brief cross-examination by Hindman’s attorney, Samuel S. Pangburn, Costanzo held him for court and set a $10,000 unsecured bond—with conditions.

Hindman is not permitted to consume alcohol or controlled substances, and he ordered to submit to drug testing. Also, he must follow all treatment plans.

Pangburn then spoke up, telling the court that Hindman hadn’t consumed alcohol since the night of the arrest, and that he had undergone formal treatment.

This is the second DUI for Hindman this year.

North Strabane Township police had charged him with two counts of DUI and one count of careless driving. Those charges were waived to court.