Two Lexington firefighters get weeks-long suspensions after questionable conduct
.jpg "Staff")
Two Lexington firefighters have been suspended without pay due to questionable conduct in unrelated incidents.
The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council voted Thursday to approve the two-week unpaid suspension of Tariq White, a Lexington firefighter who was charged with a DUI in June. The council also approved the four-week unpaid suspension of Tyler O’Brien for lying about following procedures.
White, who has been with the fire department since 2017, pleaded guilty in January to a driving under the influence charge and paid a fine. He was also ordered to complete an alcohol education classes.
Lexington Fire Chief Jason Wells told the council Thursday this was White’s first disciplinary action.
According to police records, White was driving on Athens Boonesboro Road on June 22. Several people called Lexington Police after spotting White driving erratically, according to the arrest citation. White exhibited “bloodshot eyes, slowed, lethargic speech and unsteadiness on his feet,” according to the citation.
O’Brien, who has been a firefighter since 2017, was suspended for four weeks without pay after documenting firefighters, who are also the city’s ambulance crews, had followed established procedures when they had not.
On Nov. 2, fire crews were dispatched to an abandoned house for a possible overdose.
“When reviewing the incident it was determined that the crew did not follow established paramedic protocols and FF (Firefighter) O’Brien incorrectly documented that he did,” said Lexington Fire Department Assistant Chief Chad Traylor.
Details of the incident, and what ambulance crews did wrong, were not immediately available. Federal health care laws prohibit the release of medically sensitive information, Traylor said.
