Fire Law Blog Fire Service and Public Safety Legal Issues Blog by Curt Varone
An off-duty volunteer fire chief from the Silver Hill Fire Department, a volunteer fire company that is part of Prince George’s County Fire/EMS, was arrested this morning by officers from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office.
The following is a press release from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office, republished by Price George’s County Fire/EMS:
On October 24 at 4:50 a.m., officers were dispatched to the 2500 block of Lisa Drive in Waldorf for the report of a man threatening to slash the tires on his girlfriend’s car. Officers arrived and observed the suspect in a silver Ford F-150 truck, marked with PGFD logos from the Silver Hill Fire Department. They initiated a traffic stop, but the driver fled. Officers pursued the driver a short distance, but stopped when he entered Prince George’s County. While officers continued investigating, they received a call at 6:11 a.m. that the man had returned to Lisa Drive. Officers responded and attempted to stop the suspect, but he fled again. Officers pursued the driver who eventually stopped about a mile away. Matthew Reginald Fowler, 49, of Waldorf, was taken into custody and transported to the Charles County Detention Center. He was charged with 22 traffic violations including negligent driving and reckless driving. It was learned Fowler is a Volunteer Chief of the Silver Hill Fire Department and was operating one of the fire department vehicles when the incidents occurred. The investigation is ongoing.
