A veteran South Florida fire captain has been arrested on DUI charges following a hit-and-run in Weston, records showed.
Capt. Trond Welters, with the Miramar Fire Department, was arrested Monday night on four charges including DUI< DUI with damage to person or property, and leaving the scene of a crash involving damage to property, Broward jail records showed.
According to an arrest report, the incident happened on Weston Road at the on-ramp to Interstate 75.
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After the crash, the victim of the hit-and-run followed Welters, who was behind the wheel of a black Kia Telluride, the report said.
The victim said they watched as the Telluride ran over several road signs as Welters made a U-turn through a grass median, the report said.
A deputy responded and found Welters at a gas station nearby, and took him into custody. The deputy noted in the report that Welters had the smell of alcohol on his breath and was unaware he was involved in a crash.
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The Telluride had heavy damage to the driver and rear passenger doors and the rear driver tire was bent, the report said.
Welters was unable to get out of the driver's side door due to the damage, the report said.
Once he was out of the car, Welters was stumbling and unsteady on his feet, and said "his wife was going to kill him," the report said.
Welters was asked how much he'd drank and responded "a lot," and said he was embarrassed and knew he'd messed up, the report said.
When Welters failed field sobriety tests, he was taken into custody, the report said. He later refused to give a breath sample, the report said.
Welters, 59, has worked for the Miramar Fire Department for 28 years. Officials with the department told NBC6 they are investigating the incident.
At a court appearance Tuesday, Welters was granted a $2,000 bond, and ordered to stay away from alcohol. Attorney information wasn't available.
