The man accused of causing a fatal drunk driving accident was a former member of a local fire department.

On Saturday, 28-year-old Jason G. Exley of Walden was killed when he was hit by an alleged drunk driver on Route 52 in Orange County.

Dennis Wilson Jr., 32, of Walden, was driving drunk when he crossed the double yellow lines and hit Exley’s car head-on, police say. Wilson was charged with vehicular manslaughter, a felony, driving while intoxicated, a misdemeanor, and refusal to submit to a chemical test.

Wilson is a former member of the Walden Fire Department. It’s unclear when he stopped being an active member.

“Dennis Wilson Jr., was not an active/in service member at the time of the motor vehicle accident this past Saturday,” the Walden Board of Fire Commissioners released in a statement. “Mr. Wilson was not responding to an emergency or in any way participating in any fire department event at the time of the accident, nor was he currently serving as Captain or any position of authority."

 

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