Former Orange County fire chief personally directed purchase of SUV he later denied having, emails show

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Despite initially denying he had a new county vehicle, emails obtained by News 6 reveal former Orange County Fire Chief Anthony Rios directed the purchase of a 2026 Ford Expedition intended for his use, then shopped for accessories after the SUV was delivered to his office.

“Please secure the following three items,” Rios wrote in a July 13 email to one of his division chiefs that included links to Amazon products. “The first is a charger for the county phone, the second is for organizing the county badge and writing instruments, and the third is a cover for the hitch opening to prevent rust due to weather exposure.”

Two days after sending that email, Rios was questioned about his agency’s recent vehicle purchases…

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