DeKalb firefighters punished for drinking

By Steve Visser

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Four DeKalb County firefighters -- including an assistant chief -- have been demoted following an investigation that showed they drank alcohol at their fire station and reported for duty while drunk during the January ice storm.

On Tuesday, Fire Chief Eddie O’Brien announced that Assistant Chief Joseph Tinsley had been reduced in rank to captain despite a month-long investigation that exonerated him, but the chief refused to say why. It was determined that Tinsley drank at Twain’s Billiards & Tap in Decatur with the disciplined firefighters.

Capt. Marcus Reed was demoted two ranks to a firefighter level 2 because his own admission proved his level of intoxication, an investigatory report said. Fire Apparatus Operator William Corbett and Firefighter Joshua Crawford were demoted because they possessed alcohol at Fire Station 24.

O’Brien emphasized that the investigation found no evidence that the firefighters went on any calls while inebriated. He said the intoxicated men reported to the fire station the night before they went on duty intending to sleep off the effects of their drinking.

“They’re all sincere in apologizing to the department, to the county and to the citizens,” O’Brien said. “They didn’t just let me down. They let everybody down.”

The investigation showed that two captains did not report drinking in the firehouse to their superiors. One only ordered the offenders to get the beer out of the station. Corbett and Crawford emptied their containers out a window but retained possession of them so the containers wouldn’t be discovered in the firehouse trash.

Tinsley, who was exonerated of violations of department policy, was possibly penalized for simply being involved. Tinsley accompanied the others to Twain’s pool hall, where large amounts of alcohol was consumed, the report showed. The other firefighters earlier drank at Savage Pizza in Avondale Estates.

Reed admitted to drinking excessively when he was supposed to be fit for duty in the morning. He couldn’t remember much of the evening, except that he possibly drank alcohol at the firehouse, the report said.

Fire Apparatus Operator Anthony Smith and Reed invited several firefighters to meet them at Savage Pizza, where at least four pitchers of beer were consumed, the report said. Fire Apparatus Operator Chase Rawlins, Capt. Scott Votava and Corbett were present, and their reported bill was $103.

The firefighters moved to Twain’s after Savage Pizza closed at 9 p.m., and were joined by Robert Poteat and Tinsley. Twain’s closed at 10 p.m. If the report timeline was accurate, some firefighters drank heavily in that hour. The bill was $125

Reed was considered heavily intoxicated and Smith was inebriated to the point he couldn’t operate a vehicle, the report said. Rawlins was loud and boisterous, but others said that was his usual demeanor, and his level of intoxication was unclear. Reed, in his own admission, stated on several occasions at Twain’s that he downed a glass of beer in one gulp.

“Due to the amount of alcohol I had consumed while at Savage Pizza and Twain’s, I don’t remember much after leaving Twain’s,” Reed said. “I am ashamed and embarrassed by my actions of that night. I was way out of control.”

Reed was found guilty of misconduct and possessing an open beer at the firehouse.

Corbett, who purchased the 12-pack of beer brought to the firehouse, and Crawford were deemed guilty of possessing an open beer at the firehouse.

Capts. Stevy Duke and Alan Garcia, were both found to be in neglect of their duty for failing to notify command of the violations.

Deputy Chief William Smith, who gave Rawlins a ride to Savage Pizza, was exonerated of multiple charges, including improperly using an emergency vehicle. Smith, however, resigned from the department.