Mayor to unveil Allen findings

Wetherington to speak at 11 a.m. today about investigation into 2006 crash

BY CHUCK WILLIAMS - chwilliams@ledger-enquirer.com --

Mayor Jim Wetherington has called a news conference for 11 a.m. today to discuss a nearly five-month investigation into the city's handling of a crash by an on-duty Columbus firefighter who tested positive for cocaine in a post-accident drug test.

Wetherington in December called for the investigation by the Columbus Police Department's Office of Professional Standards after the Ledger-Enquirer reported firefighter Zachary Allen, while driving a hazardous materials truck, hit two cars at the intersection of Interstate 185 and Macon Road en route to an emergency call.

The firefighter, who had been with the department about a year, tested positive for cocaine in a post-accident drug test. Allen, the son of Columbus Councilor Gary Allen, resigned the day after the wreck.

Wetherington got an executive summary of the investigation "in the last couple of days," said Judy Thomas, the mayor's assistant.

"We are not ready to give out any information at this point," Thomas said Thursday afternoon. "We will be ready to give out the information tomorrow... . The mayor is still in the process of dealing with all of the things in the report."

The news conference will be in the mayor's sixth-floor Government Center office.

Columbus Fire and Emergency Medical Services Chief Jeff Meyer was unavailable for comment late Thursday. Assistant Chief Jerry Fountain said Meyer took the afternoon off and would not be back in the office until Monday morning.

As the investigation has continued, Wetherington has been briefed by Police Chief Ricky Boren. The investigation, which included as many as 60 interviews with Columbus Fire and EMS command staff, firefighters, city administrators and police officers, was led by Police Maj. Lem Miller.

The police department, Fire and EMS and the city's Risk Management Department all investigated the Nov. 28, 2006, wreck in which LaLinriafaye Wilson was injured. Wilson's attorney, Ben Philips, threatened a $2 million lawsuit against the city. The first report of Allen's wreck surfaced in December 2007 when Philips and the city were in settlement talks. Columbus Council held a closed session in November 2007 to discuss a possible settlement with Wilson. Gary Allen did not participate in that meeting.

Zachary Allen was never charged by police, and the document showing the positive drug test was never sent to the police.

Boren said when the investigation started that nothing was off limits.

"The investigation will center around the entire incident," Boren said at the time. "It will go from prior to the time of the wreck to date. We will look at all policies governing alcohol and drug policies within public safety, as well as all the practices that were followed."

Allen tested positive for cocaine an hour and 15 minutes after the wreck. An initial internal report by Fire and EMS stated that Allen's drug and alcohol test results were negative. That report was later amended and Fire and EMS Sgt. Monica Carstarphen, who conducted the internal investigation, was counseled by Chief Jeff Meyer for putting unverifiable information on a report. She admitted she assumed the drug test was negative.

 

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