GIRARD, Ohio (WYTV) – The former firefighter already accused of calling out a false fire in McDonald is now facing new charges stemming from a similar incident in Girard, where he worked part time.
Mathew Rozhon, 23, was in Girard Municipal Court Tuesday morning facing additional charges of inducing panic, disrupting public services and making false alams.
This all stems from an incident investigators say happened on January 13, ten days prior to the ordeal in McDonald.
City officials say while firefighters were battling a fire on East Liberty Street, Rozhon was back at the station and claimed a woman stopped by reporting a house fire on Smithsonian Street, a claim that turned out to be false.
“False alarms occur. They’re very rare. Obviously, it’s of grave concern that we’re putting the public safety and firemen’s safety in peril,” said Mayor Jim Melfi of Girard.
Rozhon is free on $7,500 bond and he’s due back in court on March 25.
