Jury convicts firefighter for drunk driving

Eight months after his initial arrest, Corbin Fireman Glenn “Rainbow” Baker was found guilty of DUI last Thursday following a jury trial in Laurel County District Court.
Laurel District Judge Jason Chappell ordered that Baker’s license be suspended for 30 days and that he attend mandatory DUI classes, as well fining him a total of $718. In addition, the Corbin City Commission, on the recommendation of City Manager Bill Ed Cannon, agreed to suspend Baker for 30 days without pay and placed him on a two-year probationary period.
Baker had asked for a 30-day leave without pay, but was issued the suspension instead.
Baker was arrested and charged with DUI around 3:45 a.m. on July 5, after failing several field sobriety tests at a checkpoint on US 25E in Laurel County.
Baker was off duty and was en route to a fire on Sherwood Drive in the Forest Hills area of Corbin after being called in as backup.
The citation states that after approaching a traffic check-point near Kentucky Fried Chicken in Corbin, Baker was given numerous field sobriety tests, all of which he failed, and then registered a .113 blood alcohol level on the breathalyzer.
In the post arrest complaint section of the citation, Kentucky Vehicle Enforcement Officer Mike Hamblin states that the subject pulled up to the traffic checkpoint and after asking for his license, noticed a very strong odor of alcoholic beverages coming from the vehicle. Baker allegedly stated that he had one large mixed beverage earlier in the evening around 9 p.m. The report said Baker failed the one legged stand, the alphabet from D to Q by starting A, B, C, D, E, F, and Q, and the walk-and-turn by not being able to follow directions, stepping off the line and almost falling down.
At the time, Baker’s arrest was the second DUI arrest of city employee in less than a week. Corbin Police Officer Shannon Jones was also arrested for DUI a few days prior. Corbin Mayor Willard McBurney expressed his concerns at that time.
“I know he (Baker), and Officer (Shannon) Jones for that matter, have each had solid records throughout the time they have had held their positions and I think they are good people,” McBurney said. “It’s just a tough situation.
“It does concern me with any employee that would get out and be involved with that kind of thing,” McBurney said. “That goes for any city employee or commissioner, it really concerns everyone involved.”