Former Brownsville Fire Chief Carlos Elizondo and firefighter Ernie Estrada were suspended Monday and placed on administrative leave with pay pending the results of an outside investigation, according to letters obtained by The Brownsville Herald.
Former Brownsville Fire Chief Carlos Elizondo and firefighter Ernie Estrada were suspended Monday and placed on administrative leave with pay pending the results of an outside investigation, according to letters obtained by The Brownsville Herald.
“During this administrative leave with pay you are not allowed to return to your department or fulfill any of the official duties of your position except as instructed by the Human Resources Department,” states suspension letters sent by Jarrett Sheldon, interim fire chief.
Neither Elizondo nor Estrada was immediately available for comment.
The letters do not state who is conducting the outside investigation or the scope of the probe.
However, according to evidence compiled by an audit committee that formed in July, Elizondo and Estrada had redirected dispatcher calls to a private ambulance company 78 times.
The audit committee reported that an investigation of activities in the fire department and EMS services was launched because of allegations that a private ambulance service known as Intercity Ambulance Service was operating without a permit — and that particular city officials were allegedly allowing the service to operate without proper approvals.
“There have been allegations of wrongdoing regarding the operations of a private ambulance service here in Brownsville, known as Intercity Ambulance Service, (Intercity),” the report states.
According to the report, the committee confirmed “the illegalities of the operations” of using Intercity through a letter dated July 7 from then-City Attorney Mark Sossi, through the Aug. 17 Internal Auditor’s Report and through “information gathered throughout the investigative process” by the committee.
A more complete version of this story is available on www.myBrownsvilleHerald.com
