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Iowa fire chief accused of drunk driving in ambulance

Thomas Launderville, is seen in photo provided by the Greene County (Iowa) Jail. Launderville has been accused of being drunk while driving an ambulance and taking a patient to a hospital. Greene has been accused of being drunk while driving an ambulance and taking a patient to a hospital Friday, Nov. 1, 2019. Launderville has since been dismissed as Grand Junction's fire chief. (Greene County (Iowa) Jail via AP)
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GRAND JUNCTION, Iowa (AP) — A central Iowa fire chief has been accused of being drunk while driving an ambulance and taking a patient to a hospital.

Greene County court records say 39-year-old Thomas Launderville is charged with operating while intoxicated, second offense. The records don’t list the name of an attorney who could comment for him.

A Jefferson City police officer says in the records he heard Launderville slur his words during a radio call late Friday as Launderville drove the Grand Junction ambulance and a patient to Greene County Medical Center in Jefferson. Launderville has since been dismissed as Grand Junction’s fire chief.

The records say the officer arrested Launderville at the hospital, and a breath test later showed Launderville had a blood alcohol content of more than twice the legal limit.