Latest news with #SanJoseFireDepartment
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Yahoo
San Jose fire captain's drug thefts left patients in pain: DA
(KRON) — Prosecutors charged a veteran San Jose Fire Department captain with stealing drugs from his own fire department. Mark Moalem, 45, of Gilroy, stole vials of narcotic painkillers and sedatives from 17 fire stations and trucks, according to prosecutors. Moalem will make his first court appearance Monday afternoon at the Hall of Justice in San Jose to face felony charges. Investigators said Moalem's thefts left paramedics without morphine at emergency scenes for patients who were injured or ill. The fire captain allegedly tried to cover up his crimes by filling empty vials with a different substance. On April 14, 'A paramedic alerted (authorities) that morphine from another fire house was given to a patient earlier that same day that appeared to have no effect on the patient's pain. It was suspected the drugs had been removed from the vials and replaced with another substance,' the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office wrote. Moalem is a 22-year veteran with the San Jose Fire Department. SJFD officials were well aware of his prior history with drug addiction, which included overdosing on the job and spending time in rehab, according to records obtained by KRON4. 'The community puts their lives in the hands of first responders during emergencies,' District Attorney Jeff Rosen said. 'There is no excuse for violating the trust and safety of Santa Clara County residents.' If convicted, the fire captain could face prison time, the DA's office said. San Jose Police Department officers launched an investigation into the fire captain in April. They discovered that a vial of morphine had been tampered with at Station 4 off Leigh Avenue. 'In addition to the damaged vial, an audit of all 34 fire stations concluded that vials of morphine and midazolam, a benzodiazepine, had been tampered with at 17 separate fire stations throughout the city,' the DA's office wrote. SJPD officers used its automatic license plate reader system to track Moalem's vehicle and whereabouts around the time that a box of narcotics was stolen from one station. The driver in the images matched Moalem, prosecutors said. 'Moalem was also seen on April 8, 2025, at Station 29, a fire house he was not assigned to, in between two fire trucks near where a narcotics box is kept. He was off duty at the time,' the DA's office wrote. San Francisco police officer arrested for DUI crash Once officers searched the fire captain's house in Gilroy, they found a large stash of needles, six SJFD-marked vial caps for morphine, four SJFD-marked vials of midazolam, four SJFD-marked vial caps for midazolam, and four bags of IV saline solution. Moalem's last day working was on April 15, city officials said. He is currently on leave. Records from California Emergency Medical Services Authority state that Moalem was on duty and working as a firefighter for SJFP when he was found unconscious inside a bathroom on November 22, 2013. An empty syringe and morphine vial were next to him. After Moalem was rushed to a hospital, he told police that he was addicted to opiates, according to EMSA's report. After his 2013 overdose, Moalem was arrested for possession of a controlled substance and being under the influence of an opiate. The fire captain returned to work after completing a rehab program for drug addiction, records show. In 2015, an interim fire chief testified that Moalem was an excellent and highly skilled paramedic who remained calm under pressure. At the time, he had no record of stealing drugs while on the job, EMSA's report states. Several members of SJDF also testified that Moalem was a trustworthy, responsible, and dependable firefighter. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Yahoo
Details emerge on San Jose Fire Department captain's drug history
SAN JOSE, Calif. (KRON) — A veteran San Jose Fire Department captain is suspected of stealing drugs from as many as 17 fire stations, city officials said. Fire Captain Mark Moalem was arrested by police detectives last week following an SJFD audit of controlled substances stored in its stations. 'Lives depend on our firefighters' ability to administer medical care during emergencies. We take theft of controlled substances extremely seriously,' said Mayor Matt Mahan. Moalem was arrested on suspicion of burglary, child endangerment, and narcotics violations. His last day working was on April 15, city officials said. Mahan said, 'I'm grateful to our City Manager and Police Chief for acting quickly and decisively by opening an investigation and holding those responsible accountable. I'll continue monitoring the situation and look forward to procedural changes that ensure this never happens again.' According to records obtained by KRON4, the San Jose Fire Department was well aware of Moalem's prior history with drug addiction. Records from the California Emergency Medical Services Authority state that Moalem was on duty working as a firefighter for SJFP when he was found unconscious inside a bathroom. An empty syringe and vial were next to him. The incident happened on November 22, 2013 and the vial contained morphine. After Moalem was rushed to a hospital, he told police that he was addicted to opiates, according to EMSA's report. Moalem said his drug problem stemmed from a work-related lower back injury. In 2012, a doctor gave the fire captain a prescription for OxyContin, an addictive opiate used by some doctors for patients with severe pain. That summer, 'he was in full-blown addiction,' and fire department officials were aware of his struggles, EMSA's report states. The fire captain spent a month in detox before he returned to duty with SJFD in September 2012. By the end of 2012, Moalem went on disability leave, however, his drug use 'escalated,' the report states. When he returned to work in 2013 and attempted to stop using morphine recreationally, he suffered from withdrawal symptoms, the report writes. A supervisor noticed that the fire captain was 'not acting right,' EMSA investigators wrote. Moalem told state investigators that when he went to work on November 22, 2013, he decided to inject himself with morphine to make his withdrawal symptoms subside. After he was found passed out in a bathroom, Moalem went to a hospital and completed a rehab program. A year later, Moalem returned to duty with the fire department. In 2015, an interim fire chief testified that Moalem was an excellent and highly skilled paramedic who remained calm under pressure. At the time, he had no record of stealing drugs while on the job, EMSA's report states. Several members of SJDF also testified that Moalem was a trustworthy, responsible, and dependable firefighter. San Jose Fire Department spokesperson Hannah Denys told KRON4 Wednesday, 'In 2013, Captain Moalem was the subject of drug related charges. Captain Moalem was required to submit to random drug testing over several years and, additionally, had his paramedic license revoked by the California Emergency Medical Services Agency after their own investigation was conducted. The action to revoke the paramedic license was stayed pursuant to completion of several conditions during a five-year probation.' The Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office has not yet filed charges against Moalem in connection to his April 2025 arrest. Following last week's arrest, City Manager Jennifer Maguire said, 'I will not tolerate criminal behavior. The allegations are deeply concerning and represent a serious breach of public trust. I want to be unequivocal: any conduct that endangers community safety or undermines the integrity of our public institution will be addressed with the utmost seriousness.' The fire captain is currently out of custody, according to jail inmate records. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Yahoo
San Jose fire captain arrested for burglary, drug charges, officials say
(KRON) — San Jose Fire Captain Mark Moalem was arrested this week for allegedly burglarizing a local fire station and potentially stealing narcotics. The San Jose Fire Department contacted the San Jose Police Department earlier this week about several controlled substances in the department's possession that had been potentially been damaged or tampered with. During the investigation, San Jose Police Department detectives identified Moalem as a suspect. San Francisco Fire Department rescues injured dog from hiking trail cliffside Detectives obtained a warrant for Moalem's arrest and booked him into the Santa Clara County Jail for burglary, child endangerment and narcotics violations. Moalem last worked for the San Jose Fire Department on April 15. It's unclear if Moalem has been fired or if he is on any kind of probation related to the arrest. San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan and City Manager Jennifer Maguire issued statements following Moalem's arrest. 'Lives depend on our firefighters' ability to administer medical care during emergencies which is why we take theft of controlled substances extremely seriously,' Mahan said. 'I'm grateful to our City Manager and Police Chief for acting quickly and decisively by opening an investigation and holding those responsible accountable. I'll continue monitoring the situation and look forward to procedural changes that ensure this never happens again.' The investigation is ongoing. The SJFD has since conducted an audit of its controlled substances. City officials suspect that drugs may have been removed from as many as 16 San Jose fire stations. Anyone who may have information about the investigation is encouraged to contact San Jose police. Horse racing canceled for 2025 Sonoma County Fair 'I will not tolerate criminal behavior,' Maguire said. 'The allegations are deeply concerning and represent a serious breach of public trust. I want to be unequivocal: Any conduct that endangers community safety or undermines the integrity of our public institution will be addressed with the utmost seriousness.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Yahoo
Victorian house burns in San Jose, fire department responds
SAN JOSE, Calif. - Fire crews in San Jose are responding to a Victorian home on fire on the 90 block of N 10th Street on Thursday. The fire has been knocked down. At least one patient has been transported to a local hospital, San Jose Fire Department said in a social media post just before 3 p.m. The extent of that person's injuries are unknown. The fire started at around 2 p.m. Crews got the upper hand within 20 minutes. No other injuries have been reported. At least one dog was rescued from the fire. Traffic in the area is impacted. The fire department said to avoid the area. This is a developing news story.
CBS News
17-04-2025
- CBS News
Person injured, dog rescued from fire at Victorian home in San Jose
SAN JOSE — One person was hospitalized following a fire at a Victorian home in the downtown San Jose area, officials said Thursday afternoon. Crews from the San Jose Fire Department responded around 2 p.m. to a home along North 10th Street between East Santa Clara and East St. John streets. The fire was knocked down in fewer than 20 minutes after firefighters arrived. San Jose Fire said crews also rescued a dog from the fire. The exact nature of the hospitalized individual's injuries was not known. No other injuries were reported. Traffic along that stretch of North 10th Street was expected to be impacted for an extended time.
