By Elizabeth Piazza
The Farmington Daily Times
FARMINGTON, N.M. — A San Juan County volunteer firefighter accused of setting his truck on fire to collect insurance money waived his right to a preliminary hearing Wednesday in Farmington Magistrate Court. His case will be heard in district court.
Jonathan Ziemer, 23, was charged with third-degree felony arson to collect insurance money and third-degree felony false insurance application, Farmington Police Lt. Steve Birch said.
Ziemer was removed from service March 3, the day he was arrested, San Juan County Fire Chief Larry Marcum said. He worked for the department for more than one year.
“We don’t have a specific policy that if a guy is accused of arson, you get rid of him,” Marcum said. “But that is the decision I made and I stand by it. I feel like our whole outfit was violated.”
On July 23, 2009, Ziemer’s Ford F-250 truck caught on fire at a friend’s residence where he took the truck for repairs after it broke down on the corner of U.S. 64 and Browning Parkway, according to court records.
The truck needed a new fuel pump, which was estimated to cost approximately $2,500, but instead of fixing the pump, Ziemer discussed burning the vehicle.
“Ziemer told (the friend) he wanted to ... light it on fire,” according to court records.
The initial fire investigation determined the fire was accidental, caused by an electrical component located in the cab on the driver’s side.
Ziemer received $10,523 for the claim: $9,790 for the truck and additional money for a rental car, according to court records.
Representatives of Travelers Insurance Company examined the truck and while they were suspicious of the fire, they could not determine the fire was caused by arson, according to court records.
Marcum believes this is the first time a volunteer firefighter was accused of arson.
“The worst thing in the world at a fire department is to have someone who even is accused of this,” Marcum said. “We feel like it’s a volunteer organization and we emphasize that public trust has got to be absolutely unquestioned.”
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