Minnesota Fallen Firefighters Memorial Association

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Line-of-duty Death
St. Cloud FD
27 Oct 03

St Cloud Times

28 October, 2003
Firefighter killed in crash
David Unze
Staff Writer
A firefighter with the St. Cloud volunteer division died in the line of 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. He is 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 this morning and was being held in Stearns County Jail. Ballantine identified the man as Lorin Pfannenstein, 36, of St. Cloud. He faces possible charges of hit and run, but more evidence was being sought and reviewed before a final charging decision will be made, Ballantine said.