By MARIA KACIK Staff Writer

LODI — Village police and county prosecutors have closed the investigation into a village fire department employee for calling a private ambulance company last year.

The investigation stemmed from a Sept. 4 incident involving a gas leak at Lodi Outlets in Harrisville Township. Records show the employee called other area fire departments for assistance, including Westfield Center, but they were busy and unable to respond. He then called private ambulance service EMS Medic Ambulance Transport Services of Lodi, for which his wife works. The village did not have a contract with the company at the time.

The call for assistance was canceled before EMS Medic employees arrived to the scene.

“It appears that the action of (the fire department employee) was not authorized. It also appears that there is not evidence that (the employee) was motivated by the desire to enrich himself or his family,” village Prosecutor Page Schrock wrote the village last month. He said the Medina County Prosecutor’s Office ultimately would decide if charges could be filed, such as having unlawful interest in a public contract.

“Protection of the public should not be considered an ethics violation and this office will not present this case to the grand jury,” county Assistant Prosecutor Anne Eisenhower wrote to the village on March 26.

The case was closed on March 31.

Kacik may be reached at 330-721-4049 or mkacik@ohio.net.