By Mike Glenn
The Houston Chronicle
HOUSTON — A former Houston Fire Department captain is appealing her firing after Chief Phil Boriskie accused her of “callous disregard for the well-being of the public” at an accident scene where she reportedly failed to note that a victim was still alive, according to the termination letter.
Darla M. Reed was placed on indefinite suspension Jan. 14 after an investigation into the July 18 wreck in which Melissa Manriquez, 18, was ejected from her Ford Explorer in southeast Houston. Manriquez later died.
Reed was the highest-ranking HFD official at the scene, on a service road in the 14100 block of the Gulf Freeway, Boriskie wrote in her termination letter.
The chief wrote that Reed asked about Manriquez’s condition and was told by emergency medical technicians that Manriquez had a faint pulse and labored breathing. They checked again, at Reed’s request, and said signs of life could no longer be detected, according to the letter.
Although Reed later told investigators that she told an ambulance crew to provide oxygen to Manriquez, the paramedics denied receiving such an order. Boriskie wrote that Reed told them to put away the medical equipment and cover Manriquez with a white sheet.
“During all this time, wrecker drivers could see the sheet moving up and down from the patient’s breathing,” the letter states.
A second HFD paramedic crew noticed the breathing and rushed Manriquez to Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital. She later was flown to Memorial Hermann Hospital in the Texas Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead, officials said.
According to the termination letter, Reed later claimed she had checked Manriquez’s carotid artery and could not find a pulse. None of the witnesses saw her touch the patient, however, Boriskie wrote.
“Ms. Reed contradicted almost everything other witnesses, both civilian and HFD members, revealed about the events of that early morning incident,” the letter states.
Reed is being represented by the Houston Professional Firefighters Association. On Jan. 15, Reed requested a hearing from the city’s civil service commission to appeal her suspension.
“I hereby deny the truth of the charges as made and take exceptions to the legal sufficiency of such charges,” she wrote. “I further state that the recommended action does not or would not fit the alleged offense.”
Reed, who joined the Fire Department in April 1990, declined to comment this morning, referring questions to her lawyer, Rick Mumey. He was not available for comment this morning.
Jeff Caynon, president of the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association, said today: “We strongly believe that the pending appeal will further clarify what happened at that accident scene.
“That accident scene, like many that our firefighters and paramedics encounter, was tragic and chaotic, according to witness statements,” Caynon said. “I believe that our firefighters did everything they thought they could do at the time at that scene.”
He said he does not when Reed’s appeal hearing will be held.
Manriquez was pronounced dead about two hours after the crash after a LifeFlight helicopter flew her to Memorial Hermann Hospital, reports show.
An autopsy found she died from multiple blunt force injuries, including a skull fracture and brain injury.
Houston police reports said Manriquez was driving north on the freeway service road “at a high rate of speed” when she struck the curb. Her vehicle rolled over, and she was thrown out of the car.
Toxicology reports revealed she had alcohol in her system at the time of the accident, although it was not immediately clear if she was drunk.
A toxicology report showed Manriquez had 0.10 gram/deciliter of alcohol in her eye fluid, 0.06 gram/deciliter of alcohol in her bile and 0.04 gram/deciliter of alcohol in blood recovered from her chest cavity at the time of her death.
Manriquez’s autopsy report showed she suffered blunt force injuries to her head, neck, torso and extremities. She also suffered internal bleeding and a fractured rib.
Copyright 2009 The Houston Chronicle