Story Created:
Mar 17, 2013 at 12:02 AM CDT
Story Updated:
Mar 17, 2013
Its been about three years since a Laredo firefighter crashed into a police unit and now he has been officially terminated from the department.
Juan Carlos Gomez was convicted of driving while intoxicated when he wrecked into the back of that cop car on Interstate 35.
The police officer was directing traffic after a roll over on the highway when Gomez’s Toyota Tacoma collided into the vehicle.
After the incident the Laredo Fire Department placed Gomez on administrative leave without pay and without benefits for about three years pending court proceedings.
Earlier this month, Gomez was sentenced in court to two years of probation with 30 days to serve in Webb County Jail.
On March 1, the fire department indefinitely suspended him from his duties. Chief Steve Landin issued a statement saying, “Our department members as public servants are under constant scrutiny of the public, and our department members when on or off duty shall conduct themselves in a manner that does not bring the department into disrepute. The public expects this of us.”
The department goes onto say that Gomez has the right to appeal with the Civil Service Commission if he disagrees with the descision.
