SBI investigates damaged truck

Results of probe concerning alleged sabotage of Flomaton firetruck to be turned over to the district attorney

An agent with the Alabama Bureau of Investigations was in Flomaton Monday to conduct an investigation into the alleged sabotage of a Flomaton firetruck.

Escambia County District Attorney Steve Billy said Flomaton's Town Attorney Chuck Johns requested the investigation from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency after allegations were made during a June 11 Flomaton Town Council meeting.

Billy said after Johns mentioned the situation to him, he contacted ALEA and they agreed to investigate.

Billy said the findings of the investigation will be turned over to his office and he will present the findings to a grand jury to determine if a crime occurred.

At the June 11 council meeting, former Fire Chief Jimmy Brantley told the council he felt one of the firetrucks in Flomaton had been deliberately damaged and said he felt an investigation needed to be launched.

“I'm here to report a wrong, a gross wrong,” Brantley told the council. “The old firetruck was vandalized.”

Brantley was referring to a 1984 firetruck that is still being used by the Flomaton Fire Department.

Brantley had appeared before the council in April saying the old truck had failed a pump test and needed the clutch replaced. The issue discussed then was to spend about $3,000 to fix the old truck or spend about $300,000 to purchase a new truck.

At the June 11 meeting, Brantley told the council the truck failed the pump test because it had been vandalized.