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Ex-Marion County Firefighters Plead Not Guilty as Hazing Files Detail Station 21 Culture

The department faces staffing strain after firing ten employees over the alleged assault on a 19-year-old rookie.

Overview

  • Court records show four former Station 21 employees entered not-guilty pleas and waived personal appearances at arraignments.
  • Charges include kidnapping, battery and robbery for Tate Trauthwein, Edward Kenny III and Seth Day, and robbery plus accessory for Kaylee Bradley.
  • Investigative interviews and transcripts obtained by media describe frequent roughhousing at the station, with several participants saying the incident went too far.
  • Detectives were told the rookie was tackled, stripped, whipped with a belt and waterboarded as colleagues sought his phone passcode to view a TikTok video.
  • Marion County Fire Rescue says ten personnel, including on-duty leaders, were terminated, and officials are reviewing the sheriff’s probe with possible further administrative action.