OCALA, Fla. — Two former Marion County firefighter supervisors have filed grievances for mediation with the county after they were fired in connection with an alleged hazing incident last year.
A total of 10 Marion County Fire Rescue employees were fired after a 19-year-old rookie firefighter reported an assault that allegedly occurred on Nov. 16, 2025, at Fire Station 21. Four of the employees faced criminal charges, while the others — including the two supervisors, Capt. Victor Payette and Lt. Federick Bowers — were terminated but not charged.
Bowers and Payette filed grievances against the county, arguing that the department failed to conduct “a fair, objective, and comprehensive investigation before termination.”…