TOWN OF NIAGARA—The president of the town’s volunteer fire department, who was charged with drunken driving after a collision, “never should have been driving a fire department vehicle if he had been drinking,” the fire chief said Thursday night.

“We have a policy of zero tolerance,” Chief Daniel J. Hosie of Niagara Active Hose Company told the Town Board. “It was a mistake, and I would not tolerate it,” Hosie said.

He was referring to Robert E. Jasper Jr., president of the town’s only fire company, who was charged after the department SUV he was driving collided with a car just after 1 a. m. Sunday at Niagara Falls Boulevard and Sy Road in Wheatfield.

Hosie quickly added, however, that Jasper was a dedicated firefighter who had risen through the ranks of Active Hose Company during the last 15 years and had volunteered many hours to saving lives and other emergency service. Hosie praised Jasper for his service but said “he should not have been driving that truck” at that time.

Jasper, a former assistant chief in the department, was arrested after the SUV collided with a car driven by a North Tonawanda woman. A passenger in the woman’s car suffered a minor neck injury, sheriff’s deputies said.

The sheriff’s accident report said that Jasper failed field sobriety tests and that his blood alcohol content shortly after the collision was 0.11 percent. The legal limit for driving is 0.08 percent.

Jasper was arraigned in Wheatfield Town Court and was released on $250 bail. He is to return to court June 22.

The accident report said Jasper admitted that he drank about six beers while golfing earlier in the day. Under those circumstances, “he should not have been driving the truck,” Hosie said.

Hosie said he was out of town, so Jasper was allowed to use the SUV while “covering” for him. Hosie emphasized that Jasper did not take the fire department vehicle to the golf outing. He had used other transportation and picked up the SUV later, the chief said.

Pending the outcome of the DWI charge, Jasper has been removed from firefighting duties, but he remains president of the company, with administrative responsibilities. Damon De-Castro, attorney for the fire department, said a hearing would be required if he is to be stripped of his role as president.

The slightly damaged SUV has been removed from service, leaving the department with only one such vehicle. The SUVs are used for command and control as well as for emergency medical services.