Toronto deputy fire chief faces street racing charge

Ontario Provincial Police say a Toronto deputy fire chief faces a charge under the province’s strict street racing law after the fire department vehicle he was driving clocked 150 kilometres per hour on Highway 401 last week.

Police say the vehicle was impounded for seven days and deputy fire Chief Daryl Fuglerud’s licence was suspended for a week on Friday after the red Toyota Highlander he was driving heading eastbound in Port Hope was spotted by an aircraft patrol unit around 9:26 a.m.

Acting fire Chief Frank Lamie said Fuglerud was on vacation at the time and on his way to the funeral of a retired member of the service. He said the chief, deputies and division commanders are assigned vehicles and "use them all the time."

Fuglerud was issued a summons to appear in court in Cobourg, Ont. on Aug. 5. Port Hope is about 100 kilometres east of Toronto.