Former fire chief charged with obstructing firefighters
A former fire chief in Luzerne County has been arrested on obstruction of emergency services charges after yelling at crews working a structure fire that displaced at least 11 people from three properties last weekend, police said.
Daniel J. Kowalski, 58, is accused of interfering with Newport Township firefighters and then resisting arrest when a police officer told him to move along.
Crews responded to the fire at a multi-unit property around 1 p.m. Saturday and soon had to evacuate adjacent single-family homes as the flames spread.
A township police officer knocking on a neighboring door heard firefighters screaming for help and ran to the scene to find Kowalski yelling at a firefighter atop a fire truck, according to the complaint.
The firefighter pointed to Kowalski and said, “Get him out of here,” police said.
Kowalski refused to budge, saying he was on a public sidewalk and was free to stand there if he wanted, police said.
The officer agreed the sidewalk is public but told Kowalski he was in an emergency area and could not stand there yelling at firefighters.
Kowalski again refused to move and then pushed the officer’s arm away when he tried to escort him from the area, the complaint alleges.
Police said they decided to detain Kowalski after he refused to provide his name or identification.
Kowalski, however, tensed up and pulled away when the officer tried to handcuff him, and then grabbed a fence and refused to let go, according to the complaint.
Eventually Kowalski relented when he was threatened with a Taser, police said.
Police charged Kowalski with misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and obstructing emergency services.
Magisterial District Judge Joseph D. Spagnuolo Jr. arraigned Kowalski on the charges Saturday afternoon and released him on $5,000 unsecured bail.
A preliminary hearing was scheduled for Feb. 9.