2 firefighters on UTV struck, killed by DUI driver in Berks County, police say
Two fire chiefs who were searching for a missing Berks County woman while riding on a UTV were struck and killed by a man who was driving under the influence, police said.
Fire Chief Jeffory L. Buck and Assistant Fire Chief Robert R. Shick, Jr., of the Walnuttown Fire Company, were driving in the UTV northbound on the shoulder of Kutztown Road in Richmond Township, Pennsylvania, shortly before 6 p.m. on Saturday when a Toyota Camry was seen by witnesses swerving while going southbound, police said.
Officials said the Camry swerved off of the road and hit the UTV head-on. The two firefighters died from their injuries, according to police.
“You don’t really prepare yourself for an incident like this,” Walnuttown Fire and Rescue Lieutenant Ryan Tyson said. “Let alone two at the same time.”
NBC10 crews at the scene saw a red-colored off-roading vehicle on its side in the middle of the roadway and a gray-colored sedan with extensive damage off the side of the road.
Two people were in the Camry when it crashed but ran away, police said. They were later arrested on Krause Road.
The driver – later identified by police as 26-year-old Alexander Sepulveda‑Rivera of the Bronx, New York – was taken into custody. A Fleetwood Police spokesperson said Sepulveda‑Rivera was driving under the influence and without a license.
He was later charged with homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence, accidents involving death or injury while not licensed, reckless driving, involuntary manslaughter, careless driving – unintentional death and other related offenses. Online court records don’t list an attorney who could speak on his behalf.
Police have not said if the second person who fled will also face any charges.
The Walnuttown Fire Company will be out of service until April 11, 2026, out of respect for Chief Buck and Assistant Chief Shick.
“Their legacy is to do what is best for the residents of our township,” Lt. Tyson said. “I just hope that we can still find guidance through them every day while we are responding to these incidents.”
Funeral arrangements for the two chiefs have not yet been released.
Officials also shared that the reported missing woman in Berks County, had been located.
