Firefighter went to fatal crash, fired

COLUMBIA TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) - An on-call firefighter claims he was fired for going to the scene of a crash in which three people were killed. Now that firefighter is trying to clear his name.

The Nov. 13 wreck happened in Van Buren County's Geneva Township.  Brittney King, 24, Kandice Berryhill, 2, and Cassadi Berryhill, 4, were killed. Two other men were injured -- the father of the two young girls and the man who now faces 11 charges in connection with the crash, including three counts of second-degree murder.

Several rescue departments responded to the scene of the three-vehicle crash, including the Columbia Township Fire Department.

Michael Freislinger, who used to work for the Columbia Township Fire Department, recalled the night of the wreck.

"I heard all this stuff going on the police scanners -- that there were children involved and there were bodies all over the place. So I went to the scene and gave a hand, whether it be with traffic with the police or CPR with the medics on scene," said Frieslinger.

He went to the scene 4.6 miles away instead of the firehouse, which is 9.2 miles away. That broke department protocol.

"I did not have my turnout gear, no. But whether I was helping law enforcement or helping medics, my intentions were nothing to do with vehicle extrications where I needed my gear," Frieslinger told 24 Hour News 8.

Only the fire chief, assistant chief and captain are permitted to go straight to the scene.

Freislinger said he was just going to help.

"The night of that call, I was not acting as a firefighter. I was just a citizen that was helping out, giving them a hand," he said. "I was in route before we even got called. I was being a good Samaritan.

Freislinger admitted he has gone straight to scenes before and was on probation violating other department rules, all of which he disputes.

Frieslinger said he is considering legal action.

"It was wrongful firing, and there's a lot of ways it was done wrong. The whole thing," he said.

He said he doesn't want his job back at Columbia Township.

"Just a clean slate so I can put in my applications in other departments," he said.

Freislinger went to Tuesday evening's township board meeting to try and get his record cleared. He said the township supervisor told him the board is investigating.

The township fire chief declined to comment, citing a confidentiality policy.