Seven months after 26-year-old Sarah Douglas was allegedly killed by her boyfriend, former CAL FIRE battalion chief Orville Flemming in May 2014, three CAL FIRE employees are receiving disciplinary action. Investigations at the CAL FIRE Ione Academy have uncovered even more controversies.
“The violations that were made by the 16 employees that we have disciplined several months ago don’t reflect the values of our department and our agency,” said Daniel Berlant, spokesperson for CAL FIRE.
Assistant Chief Scott Henry was demoted to battalion chief on January 31st this year after documents show Henry admitted to using his state issued cell pone to arrange for sexual services and view inappropriate adult websites. He is also accused of using his state issued vehicle about 10 to 12 times to drive to a hotel to have sex with an escort. he filed an appeal, but later dropped it.
Next, documents show State Fire Captain Cole Periera was demoted to Fire Apparatus Engineer for a year starting January 31st. His paperwork shows he was drinking on the job during cadet graduations. When he saw others drinking as well, he failed to take disciplinary action. He has filed for an appeal.
FOX40 also learned Periera was arrested in 2008 by the Tuolomne Sheriff’s Department for DUI on a boat.
Both Henry and Periera are represented by CAL FIRE Local Union 2881.
The union responded with a statement:
“The union has no comment on this at this time. It is a pure personnell issue, and we are waiting to see what happens.”
Tim Edgmon was a limited term fire apparatus engineer for the Riverside unit. He was terminated on January 31st. Documents show Edgmon made repeated unwanted sexual advances toward a woman at a bar, allegedly attempting to make out with her, then grabbing her hips to grind his groin onto her, exposing himself, then following her to her car. Documents show he initially denied the allegations but then admitted to them, saying it was a joke.
FOX40 spoke to his attorney, who said “Mr. Edgmon has denied all charges, and has appealed his charges to the State Personnel Board.”
Berlant says the disciplinary action is appropriate. “I think the action we took against these employees from discipline, with termination, to reduction in pay to suspension shows that seriousness,” he said.
No criminal charges were filed by Edgmon’s alleged victim. The two waiting for their appeals, Edgmon and Periera, have a prehearing and settlement conference scheduled for May 7th.
