Evening star., 1948-05-19
Board Decision
On DdIstron1
CaseAwaited
Fire Official Denies
Drinking Prior to
Crash With Auto

Testimony OF Ivan j. DalStrom.
Fire Department superintendent OF
machinery, that he was the sober
victim of an unavoidable accident
was being weighed by trial board
today against that of Prince
Georges County policeman.
When the hearing closed yester-
day, it was indicated Mr.. Dalstrom
will learn today his fate on charges
that he was intoxicated and i'm
properly operating a Fire Depart
Inent automobile when it collided
with another car April II at Thirty
eighth avenue and Bladensburg
road, Colmar Manor, Md.
Mr.. Dalstrom was arrested by 1t.
e. H. Mulligan of the Colmar Manor
police. who witnessed the accident,
and charged in Hyattsville Police
Court with drunken driving and
reckless driving. He was acquitted
on the former charge and fined $50
on the latter.
Mr. Dalstrom yesterday denied
telling 1t. Mulligan at the time OF
the arrest he had taken "a couple
of drinks as the policeman testi-
fed Monday.
Says He Took Medicine.
He said he had been on duty at
the Fire Department repair shop
and had drunk no intoxicating bev-
erages. Since he was not feeling
well, he had taken some cough
medicine and aspirin short time
before, but not enough to cause him
to stagger, he said.
AS to the speed of the car. he did
not exceed 20 miles an hour after
leaving the District line and was
travelling about 10 miles an hour
when the Fire Department automo-
bile he was driving ran into the rear
of a car driven by Stephen N. Gill,
438 Orange street Sc, Mr.. Dali
strom said.
Mr.. Dalstrom explained that the
Gill car had halted for stop sign,
but that the light flashed green as
he was approaching and he assumed
the car ahead would proceed. When
1t did not move, he pulled sharply
to the left, striking the Gill car a
glancing blow, which damaged the
steering mechanism and fender OF
the Fire Department car and fen
der of the other car, he said.
Skidded on Wet Pavement.
In answer to questions by Prose-
cutor Edward A. Beach and his own
attorney, Paul E. Jameson. Mr.. Dali
strom said he thought the accident
was unavoidable. that he applied
his brakes, but skidded on the wet
pavement.
Both Mr.. Dalstrom and Mr.. Gill
testified the superintendent probably
could have stopped in time had 1t
not been raining. ...--.
Mr.. Gill corroborated testimony
taken by a Fire Department Board
of Inquiry that he could not say
Mr.. Dalstrom was drunk" but that
he believed his physical condition
was due to the jar of the accident" F"
Miss Violet Scruggs, 438 Orange
street Sc, a passenger in Mr.. GilPs
car, said she noticed nothing out
of the way" about Mr.. Dalstrom,
smelled no liquor on his breath and
did not see him stagger.
Mr.. Dalstrom was questioned
about a sobriety test taken in the
Hyattsville police station, which led
to testimony by DR.. George Louis
Weller, jr., a member of the Board
of Police and Fire Surgeons, that
he was under the influence OF
liquor
Repeats Twister.
"When you we're asked to repeat
the twister, Third riding artillery
brigade how did you say it?" Mr..
Beard asked.
Third raiding artillery bregrade, y
was the reply.
Mr.. Dalstrom explained he had
difficulty pronouncing some words
and was not aware at the time of
the test that he had bungled the
sentence. In fact, he repeated it for
DR., Weller the same way, thinking
he was passing the test" the su-
perintendent said.
In his summation, Mr.. Jameson
called 1t. Mulligan "sundown cop
who worked part time for the Gov
ernment Printing Office and the re-
manning time as Prince Georges
County deputy sheriff and Colmar
Manor policeman. The officer had
testified he worked three months
year at the printing Office and nine
months at law enforcement.
HE is a hick cop who apparently
has something AGAINST District fire.