Fire Chief Ben Hammonds told the Sheridan City Council Tuesday night that one of the fire trucks in its fleet is likely a total loss.
A City of Sheridan fire truck ran off South Rose Street and struck a mailbox, a culvert, and a parked pickup truck on July 28.
The accident caused an estimated $7,000 in combined damage but no injuries, according to a Sheridan Police Department crash report obtained from Sheridan City Hall by the Fire.
The 2009 Freightliner fire truck, driven by Patrick Christian Jones, 42, of Sheridan, was headed north on AR 46/South Rose Street around 4:30 p.m. when it left the roadway on the right side and entered a ditch, according to the report.
The truck struck a mailbox and a culvert before the mailbox was propelled into a 2025 Toyota Tundra parked in a driveway in the 200 block of South Rose Street.
The report lists the fire truck's driver action as "inattentive, careless, negligent, or erratic operation." No citations are listed on the report.
Weather was clear and the roadway was dry at the time of the crash.
Damage estimates in the report include $5,000 to the fire truck, $1,500 to the mailbox, $1,000 to the culvert, and $500 to the parked Tundra, owned by Thomas Hazzard. The property at 204 South Rose Street belongs to Betty Reaves.
The crash was investigated by Sheridan Police Patrolman Daniel Laminack. The report is classified as property damage only with no injuries noted for either driver.
During Tuesday night’s City Council meeting, Hammonds explained that the 15-year-old fire truck, which was the main one for the department, was out of commission indefinitely. The next youngest fire truck in use is 25 years old, and the “backup” for other fires. Hammonds described the damage as “extensive.”
Mayor Cain Nattin said during the meeting that he had heard from White Hall Mayor Noel Foster while City Council was in session. Nattin said a fire truck from White Hall was enroute and would be in Sheridan within 30 minutes.
On Friday, Nattin told the Fire, “Mayor Noel Foster has been a great friend to me and to the City of Sheridan. His immediate offer to provide a fire engine while ours is out of service is the kind of leadership that reminds you we're all on the same team. Moments like this show what municipal partnerships are all about, neighbors helping neighbors. I'm sincerely thankful for his friendship, his leadership, and his willingness to answer the call when we needed it most.”