Beaufort man suing over stolen fire truck crash

BEAUFORT, S.C. (AP) — A Beaufort resident hurt in a crash involving a stolen fire truck is suing Beaufort and Port Royal, saying firefighters acted improperly when they left the truck running.

The Beaufort Gazette reports (http://bit.ly/MKPbKu) that Jonas Armstrong is also suing Kalvin Hunt. Police say the nude Marine ran from Beaufort’s Navy hospital and took a Port Royal fire truck while firefighters were on a medical call.

Hunt has been charged with murder and grand larceny. Police say he rammed several vehicles and killed 28-year-old Justin Miller of Port Royal on Feb. 24.

Court papers say Armstrong’s leg was badly injured and his SUV was totaled when Hunt hit him during an illegal U-turn. Armstrong says officials shouldn’t have left the fire truck running while responding to a call.

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Information from: The Beaufort Gazette, http://www.beaufortgazette.com