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Fla. police announce findings of investigation into fire lieutenant over missing vaccine

The investigation at St. Petersburg Fire Rescue concluded weeks after a Polk County paramedic and captain were arrested in a separate vaccine theft case

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Police say an investigation into a missing vaccine dose found that a St. Petersburg Fire Rescue lieutenant stole the dose for a relative.

Photo/St. Petersburg Fire Rescue

Romy Ellenbogen
Tampa Bay Times

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A St. Petersburg Fire Rescue lieutenant faces a misdemeanor theft charge for taking home a coronavirus vaccine dose to give a relative, police said.

Duane Zagorsky was eligible to get a dose of the vaccine himself but took an extra one valued at $39 from the city’s vaccine distribution center, 2333 34th St. S., St. Petersburg police said in a news release.

Zagorsky qualified for Pinellas County’s pre-arrest diversion program, and upon completion, the charge will be removed from his record, police said.

Fire Rescue Chief James Large asked that police investigate the case. An internal fire rescue investigation is still underway. Zagorsky has worked 15 years with fire rescue.

In January, a paramedic and a fire rescue captain in Polk County were arrested in connection with a coronavirus vaccine theft.

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(c)2021 the Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg, Fla.)

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