A Hartford, Connecticut, firefighter, who comes from a family of firefighters, has been placed on administrative leave after driving drunk, crashing into a car in Farmington and fleeing the scene, according to police in Farmington and Hartford.
Farmington Police arrested Hartford firefighter Jeffrey Vendetta, 41, on Thursday night and said he was found to be almost three times the legal limit after crashing into a car on Farmington Avenue near the Interstate 84 on-ramp at 9:37 p.m. on Thursday.
When police responded to the scene, officers found a car that had been struck from the back and sustained heavy damage and a driver who complained of some neck pain, police said.
A witness told police that the driver involved left the scene and directed investigators to Brickyard Road, around four miles away, where they found a car with fresh damage to the front end.
Officers identified Vendetta as the driver, took him into custody and administered breath tests. The first one registered .2368 and the second registered .2362, according to police - almost three times the legal limit of .08.
Vendetta was charged with driving under the influence, evading responsibility, restricted turns and following too close.
Fire officials said Vendetta, the son of retired Hartford fire captain Nicholas Vendetta and nephew of current fire chief John Vendetta, has been with Ladder Company 6 at the South Green Station for nearly 20 years.
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He was immediately placed on administrative leave with pay pending the outcome of the case, police said.
Vendetta was released on bond and is due to appear in Hartford Superior Court on Nov. 19.
The driver who was injured had minor neck pain and refused medical attention, according to police. The car had to be towed from the scene.
