CHATHAM — The formerchief of a fire department that serves parts of Columbia and Rensselaer counties was charged with forcible touching and official misconduct Sunday for allegedly groping a paramedic while the two were responding to an overdose call.
Ricardo DeGroff Jr. was arraigned in front of New Lebanon Judge Monte Wasch in Chatham Town Court and released without bail after pleading not guilty, according to Ann Pazera, a spokeswoman for the Columbia County District Attorney’s Office.
DeGroff was suspended from the Tri-Village Fire Department when the allegations came to light and was terminated at the end of an internal investigation, Gordon Ross, the president of the Tri-Village Fire Department’s board of directors, said Wednesday…