Repairs to Chesterfield fire station delayed after 18-year-old crashed into building in stolen vehicle

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- After an 18-year-old man reportedly crashed a stolen car into a Chesterfield fire station over two weeks ago, officials said the crash did more damage than initially thought, and repairs have been delayed.

On Tuesday, Jan. 20, Chesterfield County Fire and EMS announced on social media that the bay doors at Chesterfield Fire Station 7 that were damaged in an "intentional crash" from early January were still boarded up.

"The crash did more damage than initially thought, and it is taking more time than expected for the parts needed to arrive and for the repairs to be completed," officials said. "Because of that, the doors will remain boarded up for at least the next several weeks."

(Photo: Chesterfield County Fire and EMS)

Although the bay doors were damaged, officials said Station 7 remains open, and the damage to the doors has not impacted response times.

This comes after Chesterfield County Police officers responded during the early hours on Sunday, Jan. 4, to Fire Station 7 on Hull Street Road.

When officers arrived, they found that a vehicle had crashed into the building and damaged two of its glass bay doors. Police also found the driver, 18-year-old Carson Lambert, inside the fire station.

According to Chesterfield Police officers, the driver, Lambert been at a bar in Richmond earlier Saturday evening. When he got to the fire station, he “intentionally rammed the vehicle into two bay doors” and entered the station through the damaged area.

Lambert was detained by a Chesterfield County Fire and EMS employee once he was inside. The employee then contacted Chesterfield Police.

The criminal complaint in the case stated that the damaged doors are estimated to cost roughly $30,000 each.

Police said Lambert drove to the fire station in a vehicle that was later determined to have been stolen out of Richmond.

He was taken into custody and faces the following five charges, according to court records:

• Driving under the influence
• Damaging a public building
• Refusing a breathalyzer test
• Possessing a false license — stemming from Lambert allegedly being found with two fake IDs
• Entering the property to cause damage

According to the criminal complaint in the case, Lambert told police he was “getting jumped” at the bar in Richmond. He then ran away and “got into a random car and started it.” The complaint states his drive from Richmond to the fire station was around 30 minutes.

Although no one was hurt in the crash, Lambert was seen during his initial court appearance with a sizeable cut on his forehead.

Lambert is due back in court on March 16.