A decorated Newton firefighter is facing his fourth charge of driving under the influence charge, after police said he crashed a car into a tree last month.
"It's tragic," said Fire Chief Joseph LaCroix.
According to police reports, Lt. Daniel Doherty, 41, of 15 Roberts Ave., crashed his car into a tree on Washington Street on Nov. 22.
Police said he walked away from the crash toward Walnut Street. They later found him lying on the ground behind a Page Road house.
Police said Doherty, who smelled of marijuana, was charged with driving under the influence of drugs (fourth offense), leaving the scene of property damage and disorderly conduct.
According to Newton District Court, a fourth driving under the influence offense carries with it a loss of a driver's license for 10 years.
Doherty is serving 30 days at a substance abuse facility at Bridgewater State Hospital.
According to police reports, this is the second time in two months Doherty has been arrested. He has been on unpaid medical leave since Nov. 9 this year, according to fire officials.
Doherty was arrested in October in a BJ's Wholesale Club in Dedham on charges of disorderly conduct, assault and battery on a police officer and malicious damage to a vehicle. After a store employee reported seeing Doherty riding a conveyer belt and shouting, police tried to arrest Doherty, who kicked a police car and lowered his shoulder to run into an officer, according to police.
LaCroix offered no comment on Doherty's past offenses.
"We've just got to wait to get all the pieces together," he said.
LaCroix praised Doherty's record, despite the firefighter's arrests. "As an individual, in my experiences with him, he's a great firefighter."
The ex-Marine and Gulf War veteran was awarded the Medal of Valor by the city and a Firefighter of the Year award from the state fire marshal for saving the lives of several people trapped in a burning Boylston Street building in 2000.
"Danny is a great firefighter," said Tom Lopez, president of the Firefighters Local 863. "He was a very aggressive firefighter."
In addition to Doherty's legal troubles, he will face possible consequences related to his job.
"Under the guidelines of civil service, a disciplinary hearing would follow his release," said Jeremy Solomon, the mayor's spokesman.
Mayor David Cohen has pushed to have firefighters randomly tested for drugs. "Random drug testing was part of the city's proposal to the fire union during our last round of collective bargaining, but the arbitrator did not rule in the city's favor on the issue," Solomon said.
LaCroix declined to comment on potential disciplinary action the city might take against Doherty.
Doherty, who was arraigned Nov. 24, is due back in court Dec. 23, said Middlesex District Attorney's Office spokeswoman Jessica Venezia.
