Firefighter had been accused of stealing asthma inhalers; union will fight dismissal
By Lou Grieco
Dayton Daily News
Copyright 2007 Dayton Newspapers, Inc.
MIAMISBURG, Ohio — City officials have fired a firefighter/paramedic from two fire departments about two months after criminal theft charges against him were dismissed.
Jack R. Ikerd Jr., 39, was fired Nov. 7, but officials with the International Association of Firefighters Local 3115 said they will challenge his termination.
Ikerd had faced criminal charges of stealing asthma medication and inhalers, but the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office dropped them after they found a “lack of sufficient, credible evidence to proceed,” according to Prosecutor Mathias H. Heck Jr.
After Heck’s office dismissed the charges in August, Fire Chief Robert Bobbitt conducted an internal investigation.
City Manager William H. Nelson, Jr., agreed with Bobbitt’s recommendation to fire Ikerd, said Miamisburg spokesman Gary Giles.
Giles declined to identify the reasons for the firing besides “misconduct.”
But Trisha Duff, legal counsel for Local 3115, said it was because of the theft allegations.
“They are alleging that there was a theft in office,” Duff said. “There is no additional evidence that they are able to produce.”
City officials also accused Ikerd of not cooperating with Bobbitt’s investigation, but Duff said “it’s our position that he did everything they asked him to do.”
Ikerd was accused of stealing two albuterol packages from the City of Miamisburg, valued at $12 each, and $125 worth of inhalers from the City of West Carrollton, where he also worked.
Vince Popp, Ikerd’s attorney for the criminal charges, said in August that Ikerd has a son who had been treated for breathing problems, but medical records show that treatment was more than two years before the alleged thefts.