Latest news with #ColumbusFire
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Yahoo
Columbus to pay over $1M in deadly fire truck crash, launches probe into fire division
In light of a deadly 2023 Columbus fire truck crash in Gahanna costing Columbus more than $1 million in settlements and repairs, the city is investigating how the Division of Fire handled disciplining the firefighters involved. Columbus Fire Chief Jeffrey M. Happ did not discipline him, but the driver of the fire truck was convicted of vehicular manslaughter. The Columbus City Council voted on June 30 to settle a lawsuit with Patricia Hesson, who was injured in the crash, for $191,000. She brought a personal injury lawsuit against the city in Franklin County Common Pleas Court. A $750,000 settlement with the estate of 63-year-old Timothy Wiggins, Hesson's fiancé, who died in the crash, is pending approval in the Franklin County Probate Court and then will come to the council for a vote. The damage to Fire Engine 5 in the July 2023 crash cost about $191,000 to repair. More local news affecting Columbus Fire: Union workers strike at Sutphen, major Columbus-area firetruck supplier At the Columbus Department of Public Safety's request, the city council also voted on June 30 to approve $60,000 for Barnes & Thornburg LLP to conduct an independent investigation into the crash and the review process by the Division of Fire. The Department of Public Safety oversees the divisions of fire and police. The 25-year-old firefighter who was driving the engine, Tyler Conners, pleaded no contest to vehicular manslaughter in April 2024. He was sentenced to two years of probation and 180 hours of community service and received a two-year driver's license suspension. After that, Happ did not discipline or require remedial driver training for Conners, according to the Department of Public Safety. A disciplinary hearing was never held for Capt. Timothy Boyd, the ranking officer in Engine 5 that night. Happ found after a July 2024 disciplinary hearing for Conners that, 'This was an unfortunate situation that has been resolved in the court system and the case is considered closed for the Columbus Division of Fire,' according to the legislation before the council. Chief Happ was unavailable for comment and The Dispatch was referred to the Department of Public Safety. Columbus Director of Public Safety Kate McSweeney-Pishotti said in a statement that this crash resulted in both a tragic death and the hospitalization of another person. "A Gahanna Police accident investigation, and a subsequent criminal court proceeding, found a member of the Columbus Division of Fire at fault," McSweeney-Pishotti said. "Despite the criminal sentence, a Division of Fire review found no fault, with no discipline or policy changes enacted." McSweeney-Pishotti said taxpayers will bear the cost of the nearly $1 million in legal settlements. "In the interest of transparency and accountability, the family of Timothy Wiggins, taxpayers, and the community we serve deserve a full accounting of this tragedy," she said. "An independent investigation is the best course of action." Steven Stein, president of Columbus Local 67 chapter of the International Association of Fire Fighters, told The Dispatch that he's confident that any external review of the Division of Fire's procedures will demonstrate they have the best practices in the industry. "This matter has been adjudicated," Stein said. "If they want to put taxpayer dollars toward an investigation, we welcome it because I'm confident we're doing it as well or better than anyone in the country. But if we're not, we're more than willing to take a look at that." The city's director of public safety appoints the fire and police chiefs for five-year terms, up to twice. Happ was named chief of the Columbus Division of Fire in 2021 and is approaching the end of his first five-year term. The crash happened around 10 p.m. on July 23, 2023, on Interstate 270 North in Gahanna. The fire engine's lights and sirens were not on as it had just been called off an emergency run. To head south toward the fire station, Conners attempted to slow down and merge from the far-right lane of the interstate to the far left lane to make a turn into an emergency vehicle turnaround, according to legislation before the council. While the fire truck, mostly in the left lane, continued to slow and began to turn into the turnaround, a sedan tried to pass the fire truck on the shoulder, but collided with the fire truck. The firevtruck came to a stop while still partly in the left lane and a pickup truck driven by Wiggins collided with the back of the fire truck. The crash report said Wiggins was going more than 70 mph while the fire engine was traveling at about 23 mph. The Gahanna Police Department cited Conners for slow speed and lane straddling in addition to initially charging him with aggravated vehicular homicide. The charge was reduced as part of a plea, and the judge dismissed the traffic citations. Hesson said at Conners' sentencing that the crash was not an accident, calling it "stupidity." Government and politics reporter Jordan Laird can be reached at jlaird@ Follow her on X, Instagram and Bluesky at @LairdWrites. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Deadly fire truck crash costs Columbus $1M+; investigation to follow
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
CFD driver injured, vehicle totaled after Franklin Township crash
FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WCMH) — A Columbus Division of Fire driver was injured and a fire vehicle was totaled after a crash in Franklin Township Sunday. Accoring to the Franklin Township Police Department, the crash happened at the intersection of Frank Road and Harrisburg Pike just after noon. A Columbus Fire EMS Coordinator SUV was driving west on Frank Road with its siren and emergency lights on, responding to an emergency call, when it was hit by a Honda coupe that failed to yield the right of way at the intersection, Franklin Township police said in a social media post. The driver of the EMS SUV was taken to a local hospital in a stable condition. Police stated that the Honda's driver didn't have a valid driver's license and that the license plates on the car were counterfeit. The driver was treated at the scene for injuries and issued a citation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
2,500 gallons of fuel spill in Whitehall: fire official
WHITEHALL, Ohio (WCMH) – An ongoing hazmat emergency is affecting people in Whitehall. According to Whitehall Mayor Michael Bivens, there was a kerosene spill, with some of it running into a local creek. As of 11 p.m., clean-up crews were still active on Robinwood Avenue, where there appeared to be oil buildup on Mason Run, with several booms placed into the water to help with cleanup. The spill started around 7 p.m. Tuesday, with crews spending hours using special equipment to survey the area and monitor the air quality. Columbus Division of Fire Lt. Nicholas Davis said the spill started at a gas company on Fifth Avenue. The company was pushing fuel through pipes into a railcar and at some point, a leak started and it wasn't caught right away; Davis estimated it was approximately 2,500 gallons of fuel. Davis said there was nothing toxic in the air due to the spill. 'We have all our survey monitors that are in the area making sure of that, and if there is, of course, we would let the residents know and then the rest of the public,' he said. 'You're probably going to smell like it smells like a gas station. It's nothing to be concerned about right now. It's just more of a nuisance than anything. No danger to life or health at this point.' In addition to Columbus Fire, Whitehall Fire, EPA, EMA, and Columbus Public Health responded to the area. Davis said crews will be on scene until they know for sure that there is no danger to the public, continuing to monitor the air over the next few days. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Yahoo
Donated bikes get makeover from Cherokee County sheriff's deputies
BAXTER SPRINGS, Kan. — Sheriff's deputies put away the badge and become professional painters. School Resource Officer Anne Sharp and Community Outreach Deputy Rhanda Andrews spent their day refurbishing six donated bicycles. The bikes came from donations following 'National Bike to School Day' earlier this month. Along with a new coat of paint the bikes were checked from top to bottom ensuring everything works. Donated bikes get makeover from Cherokee County sheriff's deputies Boil water advisory issued for city of West Mineral A drone and helicopter brought in to help search for suspect in police chase Two separate high-speed motorcycle chases in Joplin end with arrests in Kansas Columbus Fire opens new training center for firefighters Now they're ready to be used to help teach safety lessons to kids across the county. 'They love interacting on good days and we're just excited to teach them bicycle safety, teach them a few hand signals if they're old enough that day, and then teach them to look both ways when crossing the street and just any questions they have. We're just going to go over and have fun,' said Andrews. The bikes will be used at the schools in Columbus, Baxter Springs, Riverton and Galena. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Candlelight ceremony in Columbus honors organ donors and those awaiting transplants
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Hundreds gathered outside the Lifeline of Ohio donor memorial for a candlelight ceremony honoring organ donors and those awaiting a transplant in Columbus. The decision to be an organ donor has the power to turn a tragic situation into a positive one. The candles that were lit represent the second chance at life offered by organ donation. According to Lifeline of Ohio, nearly one thousand central Ohioans are waiting for organ transplants. Seventeen times a day, a man, woman, or child dies for lack of an available organ. A pain that Kelli McQuesten and her family know all too well. 'My husband was a fireman, and one morning, just woke up and was having some heart issues, and we learned that he had to have a heart surgery,' said Kelli McQuesten. When hummingbirds will start to arrive in Ohio Her husband, Matthew, died in December 2023. She's been the community outreach coordinator at Lifeline of Ohio for 10 years now. Her job is to educate communities about organ donation. Never did she think she'd have a personal story to share. 'I owe it to Matthew to keep talking about his story and to say his name, and I just think about all of the families of the people who are waiting and that I don't want them to go through what me and my kids went through,' said McQuesten. Lifeline of Ohio says the ripple effect of one person saying 'yes' to donation is powerful. It's a decision that's felt by recipients, family members, and friends. 'I received a liver transplant back in 2020, on March 12th,' said Tyler Parker. Tyler Parker is 17 years old, and he was born with a rare genetic disorder. Five years ago, his life changed. He received 'the call' that he and his family have been waiting for, allowing him to be a normal teenager and follow his dreams. 'I love Columbus Fire, and I want to be a firefighter/paramedic when I get a little older,' he said. Jermayne Hassis has been on the National Transplant waiting list for eight years. He currently has a device implanted in his chest to keep his heart beating. While that provides some challenges for him, he remains positive. 'I try to live as more and more of a lifestyle as I possibly can. I was able to get married, have a beautiful daughter, and I'm a schoolteacher, like, you know, all of the things that I love doing,' he said. Harris says going through this process has taught him a lot. 'There's always light at the end of the tunnel, and I'm just, you know, God has been very big in my journey,' said Harris. A single donor has the potential to save eight lives through organ donation. To learn more, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
