Truck fire near 4800 W. 1400 S. Wednesday morning, May 27, 2020 (Courtesy: Cache County Sheriff’s Office)
MENDON — A 45-year-old man was arrested for driving under the influence early Wednesday morning after he allegedly set his truck on fire trying to drive through a muddy field. Christopher D. Olsen was booked into the Cache County Jail on suspicion of a misdemeanor DUI and criminal mischief.
Cache County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Matt Bilodeau said a deputy responded to a vehicle fire around 7 a.m. The truck was out in a field, near a pond at approximately 4800 W. 1400 S., between Mendon and Wellsville.
“The vehicle was some distance out in the field and had gotten stuck,” explained Bilodeau. “The operator of the vehicle had kept trying to get the vehicle out, flooring the accelerator, causing the vehicle to eventually overheat and start on fire.”
Fire fighters were dispatched to the scene. They were able to extinguish the fire and prevent it from spreading to any nearby brush. The truck however was a total loss and had to be removed by a towing company.
Photos of the fire showed the blaze destroyed everything but the metal frame of the truck.
Bilodeau said as deputies began investigating, they noted that Olsen showed signs of being under the influence of prescription medication.
“When deputies arrived, they administered a field sobriety test after the fire personnel put out the vehicle. It was determined that the driver was under the influence and not capable of operating the motor vehicle.”
Olsen was taken into custody without incident. Formal charges are pending the completion of deputies’ investigation.
Bilodeau said Olsen has been arrested on a similar DUI in the past.
will@cvradio.com
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