An Erskine fire truck received heavy damage after a pickup struck it nearly head-on outside of Mentor Monday evening, March 29. At the time of the crash, visibility was extremely reduced due to the Oxcart Fire, a large grass fire nearby.
According to a release from the Polk County Sheriff's Office, 47-year-old Mark Johnson of Mentor struck the fire engine in his 2016 Dodge Ram just before 5:30 p.m. Monday near 320th Street SE and 120th Avenue SE. Johnson reportedly did not stop and continued driving west, nearly colliding with a second fire truck.
Both the Dodge and the fire engine were heavily damaged, and the fire engine was disabled.
The driver of the fire truck, Jesse Hickman, was not injured but was examined by medical personnel.
The collision remains under investigation, according to the release.
