COEUR d'ALENE - A deputy fire chief was fined $600 and had his driver's license suspended for at least 30 days for driving under the influence of alcohol.

Jim C. Washko, a 15-year Coeur d'Alene Fire Department veteran, was cited and released for misdemeanor DUI shortly after midnight Dec. 22. He pleaded guilty Feb. 20.

First District Judge Robert Caldwell also placed Washko on one year of unsupervised probation and ordered him to serve 16 hours of the sheriff's labor program in lieu of jail. His license was suspended for 90 days, with 30 days of the suspension being absolute.

Idaho State Police cited and released Washko after he registered a .130/.131 blood-alcohol content following a traffic stop near the intersection of Fourth Street and Dalton Avenue.

ISP Capt. Curtis Kastens was out of the office Friday. He told The Press in previous interviews he could not discuss the particulars of the DUI arrest, but that citing and releasing a DUI suspect isn't uncommon if the suspect isn't considered a flight risk.

The ISP arrest report doesn't say why Trooper Jim Hall cited and released Washko, or how the high-ranking public servant got to his Hayden home, approximately 11 miles from the scene. Hall and Washko haven't returned messages from The Press since this story was first reported. Washko's attorney, John Redal, didn't return a message Friday.