DC Fire & EMS says yes. PGFD says no. Firefighter who shot at tow truck is allowed to be a career firefighter, but not a volunteer.
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Joey Heidenberg said he thinks the man should be working at McDonalds. The man who shot at Heidenberg and a co-worker 17-months-ago isn’t working for a fast food restaurant. He is working at a District of Columbia firehouse.
STATter 911 has learned Berlin Hiligh returned in recent weeks to driving Engine 4 at the firehouse on Sherman Avenue, NW. DC officials first tried to fire Hiligh when he was arrested for the November, 2006 shooting incident. They tried again last summer when Hiligh was AWOL from the department while serving his jail sentence.
The last time Berlin Hiligh was allowed to come back to work he was even assigned to details at The White House despite the shooting charges against him.
Between the two attempted firings, a previous administration in charge of the fire department agreed to allow Hiligh to return to the job after serving a 240 hour suspension. At the time the written agreement was signed Hiligh had not yet entered a guilty plea and had not been sentenced.
Sources familiar with the document told STATter 911 last July the department was operating on the best information it had at the time the agreement was made. The sources, who were not in a position to speak officially on the matter, said they were assured by the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office that Hiligh would not be serving time in jail.
When Hiligh returned to work briefly in Spring, 2007, The Washington Times reported the firefighter “worked overtime details at sensitive locations like the White House, where a fire company routinely stands by during takeoff and landing of Marine One, the presidential helicopter”.
Sources confirm for STATter 911 that same January 26, 2007 agreement helped Hiligh keep his job. One part of the agreement reads, “WHEREAS, the parties wish to fully and completely resolve, without further litigation or expense, all charges that were brought or could have been brought against Firefighter Hiligh resulting from his arrest and conviction, as well as his enforced leave”.
Court documents show that Hiligh didn’t enter the guilty plea to a single misdemeanor charge of reckless endangerment until March 7, 2007. More serious felony charges were dropped.
Hiligh was sentenced on May 24, 2007. He received a five-year sentence with all but six-months suspended. Hiligh served his time in the Prince George’s County Detention Center. He was also put on supervised probation for three-years.
Department officials prevented some of Hiligh’s fellow firefighters from covering his shifts or donating leave while he was in jail. Hiligh was then charged internally with failing to show up for work.
Battalion Chief Kenneth Crosswhite said the department can’t provide details on this personnel matter. Crosswhite believes there should be no worry for the public. “He went through the administrative process, the judicial process in the agency” Crosswhite said. “If they felt that he was a problem they wouldn’t have allowed him to continue with employment here in the city”.
Berlin Hiligh was arrested by Prince George’s County Police shortly after shooting at Heidenberg’s tow truck. Heidenberg was removing Hiligh’s Chevy Suburban after the vehicle was discovered with dead tags in a neighbor’s parking space at the Bowie town house complex where Hiligh lives. At least one bullet hit the tow truck and another struck a home where a child was sleeping.
Hiligh’s attorney, J. Wyland Gordon, told 9NEWS NOW, “We are glad he has his job back and is putting this matter behind him”.
Another jurisdiction apparently sees this matter differently. At the time of the shooting incident Hiligh was a volunteer firefighter at the Boulevard Heights Station in Prince George’s County. Hiligh is listed on the station’s website as a “non-operational” member. Sources confirm that the Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department has dropped Hiligh from its rolls because of the incident. This means he is unable to respond on emergency calls in Prince George’s County.
Prince George’s County is now handling another incident similar to the one involving Berlin Hiligh. This week a jury found career firefighter Carlos Johns guilty of pointing a gun at a tow truck crew attempting to repossess Johns’ car.
Johns is now in the Prince George’s County Detention Center awaiting sentencing. He faces up to ten years. Sources tell STATter 911 that termination proceedings have begun in this case with Johns being served papers at the jail.
