Both the Fleet Director and a newly hired mechanic have been fired following the crash and fire of a $640,000 firetruck earlier this week. Documents obtained by WTVC-TV reveal new details about what led up to the accident and raise concerns about oversight and safety protocols within the county’s fleet management.
Director of Fleet Management Ricky Carr and mechanic John Chance Pendergrass were both terminated after conflicting accounts emerged regarding a test drive that ended in the firetruck overturning and catching fire.
According to records reviewed by WTVC-TV, Pendergrass was behind the wheel of the firetruck when it crashed on Old Lafayette Road near Glass Mill Road. The Georgia State Patrol reported that Pendergrass lost control of the truck as he approached railroad tracks. He claimed he attempted to stop at a stop sign, but the brakes failed to engage…