By Brendan Nordstrom
Baltimore Sun
WESTMINSTER, Md. The deputy chief of Reese & Community Volunteer Fire Company in Westminster has been “operationally suspended” after a July incident in Montgomery County that led to criminal charges against him, Chief Michael Robinson of the Carroll County Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services confirmed Thursday.
Alan Barnes, 44, has been charged with intentionally flooding a Silver Spring baseball field along with another firefighter while Barnes was acting in his role as a Montgomery County master firefighter. Police said the two flooded the field in retaliation for a baseball hitting fire department property, according to charging documents.
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“The suspension is consistent with his current employment status within Montgomery County Fire & Rescue,” Robinson wrote to The Carroll County Times, adding that he conducted a briefing with the volunteer fire company in Westminster and the company supported his actions.
Barnes can be reinstated to his position with Carroll County after the case is resolved and he is reinstated by Montgomery County, Robinson wrote.
The Reese Volunteer Fire Co. said in an email that they were aware of the situation and declined to comment further due to the sensitivity of the situation.
Barnes and Fire Capt. Christopher Reilly are charged with malicious destruction of property over $1,000, conspiracy and disorderly conduct in connection to the July 17 incident.
Richard Finci, a lawyer representing Barnes in the case, said his client simply parked the fire truck while Reilly sprayed the water. He said Barnes went back to the station and came back out to find Reilly spraying the field —a claim that contradicts the charging documents.
Charging documents state that a video from the Montgomery County Fire Department shows Barnes reversing the fire truck into the parking lot and removing the hose. Reilly then aimed the hose toward the baseball field before Barnes appeared to hook the hose up to an object believed to be a fire hydrant. Reilly activated the hose while Barnes stood beside the truck.
The firefighters allegedly sprayed gallons of water into the outfield at 5:35 p.m. , rendering the field unplayable for the Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate Baseball League game scheduled for 7 p.m. that night. The Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts were forced to cancel the game due to a “pond in center,” according to a social media post from the team.
In the charging documents, Thunderbolts founder Richard O’Connor told police: “We lost substantial income due to the cancellation of the game and the disruption to our end-of-season league schedule.” The charging documents say patrons who purchased tickets for the game received refunds.
When reached by The Carroll County Times, O’Connor declined to comment due to the pending charges.
The firefighters sprayed the water for about three minutes before O’Connor and a Thunderbolts coach approached them. Reilly then admitted to flooding the field and told O’Connor he did it “to get your attention,” according to charging documents.
The incident follows a years-long plea by O’Connor for raised nets on the field after balls repeatedly hit fire department property, which is located beyond the left field fence, Finci said.
Reilly admitted to the flooding and said he was driven by frustration, according to charging documents.
Barnes is slated for trial on Nov. 4 in Montgomery County District Court.
“My client is a family man and he is a volunteer firefighter in his home community,” Finci said. “This is a professional first responder.”
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