The firefighter from the Eastland Fire Department in Texas that was killed on Friday may have been struck by a vehicle, rather than being “overcome by smoke” as was reported by the local justice of the peace. Here is an excerpt from the Reporter news in Abilene, TX:
…According to Trooper Sparky Dean, spokesman for the Texas Department of Public Safety, the preliminary autopsy results from the Tarrant County medical examiner reveal that Gregory Mack Simmons, 50, died after he “suffered blunt force trauma consistent with being struck by a vehicle.”
Dean said the vehicle Simmons was traveling in was attempting to exit a pasture where Simmons and others were fighting a wildfire, but the gate to the field was blocked by other fire apparatus. Simmons reportedly exited his vehicle and went toward County Road 323. Dean said it was possible that Simmons ran onto or near the roadway, which was obscured by heavy smoke, and was struck by an unknown vehicle.
The death is being investigated as a pedestrian crash by the Texas Highway Patrol.
A funeral service for Simmons will be held Wednesday at 1 p.m. at the Leon River Cowboy Church in Eastland. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Eastland ISD Scholarship Fund (P.O. Box 31, Eastland, TX 76448) or the Eastland Volunteer Fire Department (414 S. Seaman, Eastland, TX 76448)
It is a elected position in many states, so anyone can be a medical examiner. I read about a blind man holding that position in a county down south for years. As for Justice of the peace, yes the position is some what like a judge.
I’m sorry to hear of the fire fighter’s on duty death no matter what the cause, a sad day for us all.
Perhaps someone in the know can explain what a Justice of The Peace is in TX and how do they become the medical examiner? I am guessing a judge of some kind.
Or do they just have an unusual system in Texas?