Despite ruling by Alabama SBI that no crime was committed; former chief says firetruck intentionally damaged
Despite findings issued by the Alabama State Bureau of Investigations saying there were no criminal acts involving damage to a Flomaton Fire Department pumper truck, Jimmy Brantley said he stands by his original statement that the truck was intentionally damaged.
Brantley originally made the allegations during the June 11 Flomaton Town Council meeting, saying one of the firetrucks had been intentionally damaged and felt an investigation was needed.
SBI Agent James Murphy conducted the investigation at the request of Escambia County District Attorney Steve Billy and presented his report to Billy earlier this month.
In that report Agent Murphy said no violation of the state's criminal code occurred and stated in his report that “individual(s) may have allowed personal feelings, dislikes or vendettas to play a role in the accusations”.
When contacted this week, Brantley said he stands by his original claim that the throttle on the firetruck was deliberately damaged.
“To start with, I was told two lies,” Brantley said.
He said when Agent Murphy came to his house to interview him he never took the first note.
“He came to my house and said 'I'm so mad having to figure out who tore up your firetruck'. He didn't have the facts right.”
Brantley stated this week that when a truck goes for a pump test, if the throttle is broken it's an automatic failure.
“I was told it wouldn't pass the pump test and was making a grinding noise,” Brantley said of the truck.
He said he went the fire station and cranked the truck and there was no grinding and the pressure was fine to pump water.
“You can explain anything away, but whether it's right or wrong is another thing,” Brantley said.
Brantley said he checked the truck and still maintains the throttle was intentionally damaged and said the clutch was the “worst mess” he'd ever seen in all the years he has worked as a mechanic.
“The bottom line is they didn't want it to pass the pump test because they wanted a new truck,” Brantley said. “I hope enough people will come and say 'we know it was broken when it came back from the pump test.”
