Drunk driver smashes into side of Gresham Fire’s brand-new rig

A pair of intoxicated drivers smashed into Gresham first responder vehicles Saturday, July 27, in unrelated incidents.

First an intoxicated woman smashed her Ford F-150 into the side of Gresham Fire’s brand-new tiller, a gleaming 61-foot rig purchased last fall that operates out of the flagship Station 71, at the intersection of Southeast 181st and Stark Street

According to responding police, the driver was uncooperative during the investigation. A search warrant was obtained and she was cited and released after a blood draw was completed. No firefighters were injured in the crash.

Later that evening a Gresham Police vehicle was struck while responding to a two-vehicle crash at 162nd Avenue and East Burnside Road. A Gresham officer positioned his patrol car to block traffic on Burnside to keep all safe while clearing the intersection. A drunk-driving man in a Ford Mustang hit the side of that marked patrol Tahoe.

Officers found the driver was impaired and took him into custody. He was cited and released.