A 31-year-old volunteer firefighter with the Smithfield Volunteer Fire Department has been charged with driving under the influence after the fire engine he was piloting toward a reported structure fire flipped onto its roof last month. William Collins sustained minor injuries in the crash and was treated at a hospital before being released, and he has since been suspended by the department.
Engine 52 Rolled Responding to a Lakeview Cove Call
According to The Virginian-Pilot, the department received a report of a possible structure fire on Lakeview Cove at about 10:51 p.m. on September 21, and Collins was behind the wheel of Engine 52 when the truck wrecked on South Church Street near Jericho Road, overturning onto its roof. Collins was the only person in the vehicle at the time, and 13NewsNow's reporting from June 10, 2026 confirmed no other vehicles or occupants were involved in the single-vehicle rollover.
The crash site sits along the 300 block of South Church Street, according to the same station's report. Engine 52 itself is a 2006 Pierce Enforcer pumper built with a 1,500-gallon-per-minute pump and a 1,000-gallon water tank, per the fire department's own equipment listing — a sizable, water-heavy apparatus.
Charges Filed, Department Suspends Collins
Virginia State Police charged Collins with driving under the influence and with failure to drive to the right of the center of a highway, per the seed reporting. The fire department suspended Collins the same day as the crash, and officials noted that a criminal charge constitutes an allegation and not a finding of guilt.
The Decker Law Firm describes a first-offense Virginia DUI as a Class 1 misdemeanor punishable by up to 12 months in jail. State law allows emergency vehicle operators responding with lights and sirens to exceed speed limits and bypass stop signals, while requiring drivers to maintain due regard for public safety, according to the Code of Virginia.
Internal Review Underway as Extent of Damage Stays Unclear
The fire department says it is conducting an internal administrative review of the case and is cooperating with Virginia State Police and other agencies, with officials stating they will make appropriate adjustments based on available facts and findings. Per 13NewsNow, that review will re-evaluate standard operating guidelines, apparatus response practices, and member training requirements. The extent of damage to Engine 52 remains unclear, and multiple attempts by the Virginian-Pilot to reach the fire department on October 6 were unsuccessful.
Department officials have said they remain committed to the safety of its members and the public.
Isle of Wight County leans heavily on volunteers for emergency coverage, operating a combination system of roughly 100 career personnel and more than 300 volunteer members spread across five independent volunteer fire companies and two volunteer rescue squads, according to Isle of Wight County, which together respond to more than 5,000 calls a year.
