St. Cloud, Minnesota LODD

[NJFFSA16]

Update 4/1/04

ST. CLOUD, Minn. (AP) - The lawyer for the man accused of
killing a St. Cloud firefighter in a traffic crash near St. Augusta
wants the charges against his client dismissed.
Lorin Pfannenstein, 36, of St. Cloud, is charged with criminal
vehicular homicide in the Oct. 27 death of volunteer firefighter
Don Billig. Billig, 49, was struck by a pickup truck after helping
to put out a fire at a construction site.
Attorney Mike Burns told a Stearns County judge Thursday that
the charges should be dropped because the law Pfannenstein is
accused of violating is vague. That law makes it a crime to leave
the scene of a crash knowing the crash has caused substantial harm
to someone.
Burns said Pfannenstein didn't flee the scene, but sustained a
concussion that caused him to wander to a nearby yard, where he
passed out from the injury. Pfannenstein's girlfriend picked him up
the following morning and drove him home. Pfannenstein then turned
himself in to police.
Prosecutors believe Pfannenstein had been drinking the night of
the crash, but investigators couldn't get a blood-alcohol sample
until nearly 12 hours after the crash.
---
Information from: St. Cloud Times, http:// WWW.SCTIMES.COM

(Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[NJFFSA16]

(St. Cloud-AP) -- A memorial fund has been set up to benefit the
family of a St. Cloud firefighter who was killed in the line of
duty this week.
Forty-nine-year-old Don Billig was killed Monday night when he
was struck by a pickup driven by 36-year-old Loren Pfannenstein
(FUN'-in-styne). Pfannenstein has been charged in the hit-and-run
death.
Those wanting to donate to the memorial fund may send
contributions to the Don Billig Memorial Fund in care of U-S Bank,
1015 West St. Germain Street, St. Cloud. The zip code is 56301.

[NJFFSA16]

FYI

ST. CLOUD, Minn. (AP) - A St. Cloud man was charged Wednesday
with criminal vehicular homicide in the hit-and-run death of a
volunteer firefighter.
Lorin R. Pfannenstein, 36, was charged in Stearns County
District Court in the death of Don Billig, 49, who was struck by a
pickup truck Monday night after helping to put out a fire at a
construction site near St. Augusta.
According to a criminal complaint:
Billig, an assistant chief in the volunteer division, and his
colleagues were leaving the site when they stopped to replace
barricades that had been put up to mark the construction. While
outside their fire truck, several firefighters noticed a pickup
truck speeding toward them.
The truck hit three orange construction barrels and the front
end of the fire truck before striking Billig, who was dragged 60
feet.
Pfannenstein allegedly fled the scene on foot.
Authorities said Pfannenstein, who has seven speeding
convictions and several drunken-driving convictions, turned himself
into St. Cloud police Tuesday morning.
He was being held in the Stearns County jail pending a court
appearance Thursday.

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[firefighter26]

I will make sure to say a prayer for Don Billig and his family.

Rest in Peace

.........

[captstanm1]

Rest in Peace Brother, knowing that we will carry on in your name. My condolences and prayers go out to the members of the Chief's Family as well as those of his department that were with him at this tragic accident.

[SPFDRum]

My condolences to the Chiefs' family. May he rest in peace.

[jdrais]

My condolences to Don's family. May Don rest in peace.

They probably won't be able to get the driver of the pickup for DUI. He hid until the next day so his BAC wouldn't be admissible.

This could have easily been three deaths instead of one. The other two firefighters managed to jump out of the way.

[tanker5117]

Rest in Peace

My thoughts and prayers go out to family of Don Billig.



Tanker

[NJFFSA16]

ST. CLOUD, Minn. (AP) - A firefighter with the St. Cloud
volunteer division died while on duty late Monday from injuries
received in a vehicle crash near St. Augusta.
Don Billig, an assistant chief in the volunteer division, was
replacing a barricade blocking a construction zone when a driver
struck his crew's truck, which then hit Billig, said Dennis
Ballantine, St. Cloud police chief.
Billig, 49, is the first St. Cloud firefighter killed in the
line of duty, said Mayor John Ellenbecker.
Billig was an 18-year veteran in the department and leaves
behind a wife and three children, one of whom also works for the
volunteer division, Ellenbecker said.
The driver of the pickup that hit the fire truck left his truck
at the scene of the crash and fled on foot, Ballantine said.
Members of several law enforcement agencies spent hours
searching for the driver of the pickup that hit Billig's fire
truck, which was a heavy duty pickup outfitted to fight grass
fires.
He turned himself in to St. Cloud police Tuesday morning and was
being held in Stearns County Jail.
Ballantine said the 36-year-old man could be charged with hit
and run after the investigation is finished.

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)


My condolences and prayers go out to the family and friends of Don Billig. May our brother rest in peace!