Charges Filed in Prince George’s Altercation
Two male firefighters from Prince George’s County have been charged criminally following an altercation with two female firefighters at the scene of a working fire earlier this week.
Jeff Miller and Christopher Kelly, both of the West Lanham Hills Volunteer Fire Department, have been charged with assault and obstructing firefighters. The fire occurred on Tuesday, December 15, 2015. The female firefighters were career personnel assigned to a different fire station. One of the women was a lieutenant.
The altercation occurred as the career personnel were attempting to stretch an attack line into the structure and the volunteers were attempting to stop them. All four members have been placed on administrative leave from Prince George’s County Fire & EMS pending a further investigation.
Really, guys? You hadda get into a pissing contest with two female career firefighters? Well, I guess you DID prove you’re the biggest dicks in Prince George’s County. Thanks for making us all look bad.
Who said they started the fight? Where did you read there side of the story?
Geez I don’t know, the two female FF’s were stretching a line into the structure and the volunteers didn’t want them too, for whatever reason and pushed at least one off the deck/stoop.
So far we’ve only heard one side of the story…interesting that the volunteers haven’t even been contacted by the media to get their side, even if all they say is, “No comment.”
Gee, Frank, I don’t know. All I did was listen to the news report: “According to charging documents obtained by News Four, one of the volunteer firefighters allegedly held his arms out like this, trying to block the women from going inside.” The reporter reached out to the volunteers, who did not return her calls.
Maybe YOU ought to listen to the news report before deciding what happened.
The reporter tried to get in touch with them. Neither they nor their chief returned the reporter’s calls. The volunteers also have not spoken to county officials yet, either.
Steve, are you and Frank the same person, or did neither of you listen to report before jumping to conclusions?
Dude, all I said was that we haven’t heard the volunteers’ side, you said the same thing also. I listened to the same one report as you, unlike you I have not jumped to any conclusions about anyone’s guilt or innocence. I’m also pretty sure Frank and I are two diiferent people.
You believe everything on TV or the internet?
The fact that charges were filed provides some insight into the events. Prosecutors will not file charges if they have not found any justification to do so. The filing of charges alone leans toward substantial proof that someone violated the law. The two clowns that allegedly assaulted the two career firefighters will get a chance to tell their side of the story and refute the evidence in a court of law, should their attorney allow it. It will be interesting to see how this pans out. I hope the delay in putting water on the fire did not adversely affect the outcome.
Just because charges were filed does not mean that prosecutors have an airtight case or true justification to move forward. It means they were able to convince a judge or grand jury to move forward, that’s all.
True, Steve.
Most prosecutors will not file charges unless they are reasonably certain they can get a conviction. If it looks like a trial would result in an acquittal, most DA’s would rather pass than get a “loss” recorded (especially elected DAs and prosecutors). Some prosecutors wont file unless they’re CERTAIN they’ll win.
Correct. And prosecutors don’t care who goes to jail as long as someone goes to jail. All we know is that the prosecutors in this case know something isn’t right whether it’s the paid staff at fault or the volunteers at fault and they were able to convince a judge or grand jury that they have enough of a case to put someone, anyone, in the clink.