According to three sources familiar with the matter, including a city employee, the firefighter who was involved in the fatal Westport crash in December 2021 will be returning to the Kansas City, Missouri, Fire Department later this month.
Three lives were tragically lost in the crash: Michael Elwood, Tami Knight, and Jennifer San Nicolas.
In February of 2023, Dominic Biscari, the firefighter driving the pumper truck, made an Alford plea to three counts of second-degree involuntary manslaughter. Despite maintaining his innocence, Biscari acknowledged the probability of being found guilty by the court.
He was placed on supervised probation for a duration of three years.
In November, the KSHB 41 I-Team reported that the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services had placed Biscari’s EMT license on probation.
The I-Team received a statement from a spokesperson from the state health department on Thursday.
Mr. Biscari was placed on probation but can still work as an EMT-Basic. However, he is not allowed to drive the ambulance until he completes a specific driving course, which he has already done. Currently, there are no restrictions on his ability to drive an ambulance or work as an EMT-Basic as long as he meets the requirements outlined in the settlement agreement. It’s worth noting that his employer may have their own restrictions in place, which we do not have control over.
The department had previously requested court documents pertaining to the criminal conviction of the KCFD firefighter involved in the fatal crash that claimed the lives of three individuals.
The settlement agreement between Biscari and the state health department reveals that Biscari had not been operating an ambulance or undergoing any driver’s training provided by his employer since the crash on December 15, 2021. It was the first instance in which he had driven a pumper while responding to an emergency. The agreement also states that Biscari had received on-the-job training in the past.
Biscari, along with his attorney and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, engaged in an informal conference, as stated in the settlement agreement.
Biscari was unaware of a complaint made against him in September 2021 regarding his driving of an ambulance, as he informed the department.
Furthermore, he mentioned that the incident had not been investigated by KCFD prior to the crash.
Biscari mentioned in the settlement agreement that the night of the Wesport crash marked his first experience driving a fire truck during an emergency.
Biscari’s EMT-basic license is currently on probation with the state health department for a period of three years, as stated in the settlement agreement.
He must adhere to various guidelines during this period, which include obtaining a yearly criminal background check from the FBI, promptly informing the state in case of any arrests or charges, and successfully completing the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians Vehicle Operator Safety Course.
As part of his probation, he must inform the state in writing about his employment in the emergency medical services or health care sectors.
If Biscari fails to comply with the guidelines, the state has the authority to nullify the settlement agreement.
The I-Team reached out to the city for information regarding Biscari’s employment status, as KCFD directed us to them.
Despite repeated attempts to contact the city and fire union via calls, emails, and text messages, they have not responded.
Biscari’s attorney chose not to provide a comment on the matter. Similarly, attorneys representing the families of the victims also refrained from making any statements at this time.
The I-Team filed a public records request with the city to gather information about Biscari’s employment status, potential start date, his role within KCFD, and whether he would be eligible for any backpay.
Under Missouri’s Sunshine Law, personnel files are considered closed records, which means that some of the information contained within may not be publicly accessible.
About 14 months after the tragic crash, KCFD implemented a new driving policy that mandated drivers to come to a complete stop at traffic-control devices and observe speed limits.
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