SELLERSBURG —
Sellersburg Volunteer Fire Department Chief Greg Dietz is taking heat for comments allegedly made following a fatal Clark County EMS wreck.
On Friday morning, he was told he would no longer be allowed to serve as an auxiliary officer with the Sellersburg Police Department.
“There were some things that were said that I consider inappropriate,” Police Chief Russ Whelan said. “I called him in and thanked him for his service.”
David J. Gundle, a 50-year-old emergency medical technician from Memphis, was killed Wednesday when an ambulance driven by Erica R. Stoffregen, 26, of Henryville, left the roadway and struck a tree head on. They were responding to a nonemergency call of a welfare check. Clark County EMS is operated by the Sellersburg Volunteer Fire Department.
Gundle was first transported by ground ambulance to Henryville High School and then flown by Stat Flight to Scott County Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Officials said Dietz was upset because of where the helicopter had to land.
“I was told by numerous people that there was profanity used [by Dietz] on the fire radios,” Whelan said. “I understand that emotions were high at the time, but I believe we’re held to a higher standard.”
He said he would not have accepted those comments from any of his officers.
Dietz did not return a message seeking comment that was left at his office. Fire department spokeswoman Theresa Ball said it was a police matter and she had no comment.
The Clark County Sheriff’s Department is also looking into what happened and Dietz’s comments.
“He had a meltdown at the scene the other day,” Sheriff Danny Rodden said. “He just made some decisions and did some things he shouldn’t have.”
Rodden said he spoke with the fire department’s president, Mark Ball, and believes everything will work out.
“I don’t think anything’s going to come of it. We’re just looking into it,” Rodden said.
The fire department membership is scheduled to vote for its chief Monday evening, something that is done at the end of each year.
The wreck remains under investigation. Clark County Sheriff’s Department Maj. Chuck Adams said they requested a search warrant for the ambulance’s “black box” and will subpoena the global positioning system device. The data from those will help determine the speed of the vehicle and whether it had its lights and sirens activated.
Ball said they have not yet considered any changes in policy, but she said it was a “tragic accident” and offered condolences to the victim’s family.
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