Owner of Home on Fire Stole First Responder’s Rescue Truck: Police

A New Hampshire man faces multiple charges after police say he stole a rescue truck from one of the first responder agencies responding to his burning home in Dalton.

At approximately 3:50 a.m. on August 25, State Troopers were responding to assist members of Dalton Fire & Rescue with a house fire in Dalton when they learned that the owner of the home, identified as Nestor Roman II, had stolen a Whitefield Fire & Rescue vehicle.

Police said Roman then drove the stolen vehicle east on Faraway Road. While driving the stolen rescue vehicle, Roman struck another Whitefield Fire & Rescue engine actively engaged in firefighting operations, drove over multiple water supply lines, and narrowly missed three firefighters. Wooden fences at two separate properties were also damaged, according to police.

Troopers later received a report from a homeowner in Dalton that the stolen rescue vehicle had crashed on their property. The caller also reported that the suspect was attempting to take items from the porch of the home.

Troopers said they arrived moments later to find Roman on the porch and took him into custody.

Roman was arrested on multiple charges, including three counts of reckless conduct with a deadly weapon, obstructing government administration, felony theft by unauthorized taking, four counts of conduct after an accident, burglary, and resisting arrest and detention.