BY STEVE KEMME
The Cincinnati Enquirer
MORGAN TOWNSHIP -- Township trustees exonerated Fire Chief Tony Sears this week of accusations that he intentionally allowed a stalled pickup to burn.
Trustees Robert Copeland and Kark Dillhoff cleared Chief Sears, who also is a Morgan Township trustee, after receiving a report from the Butler County Sheriff's Department that was inconclusive. "I feel the accusations were unwarranted," Mr. Copeland said. "There was a faction in the fire department that wanted Tony Sears out."
Mr. Sears was accused of permitting a 1983 Ford Ranger pickup to become engulfed in flames April 21 because the truck had been tearing up a hay field on Governor Bebb Lane.
Several firefighters said Mr. Sears told them that he "was going to teach those kids a lesson and let it burn," according to the sheriff's report.
Mr. Sears said he stated after the incident, "Well, maybe these kids will learn a lesson."
Eight firefighters and the department's photographer resigned in protest when the trustees refused at a May 4 meeting to remove Mr. Sears and instead asked the sheriff's department to investigate.
