Alleged firefighter impersonator accused of telling residents to evacuate due to Hillside Fire, causing panic
YAVAPAI COUNTY, AZ (AZFamily) — As firefighters battled a growing wildfire in Yavapai County Wednesday night, a man is accused of inciting panic in town by posing as a fire department official and announcing evacuations.
Patrick Parent is in custody and faces multiple charges related to this incident.
The Hillside Fire has been burning near Congress, Ariz., since Wednesday afternoon. The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office said as crews worked on getting the fire under control, they were told about a man who looked like a Yarnell firefighter and was going to various neighborhoods, notifying them that they needed to evacuate.
No evacuations have been ordered yet, YCSO confirmed.
YCSO said Parent’s announcements caused panic among residents in town, thinking they needed to evacuate their homes.
Deputies were able to confirm with the Yarnell Fire Chief that Parent was not with the fire department but was let go several months ago. Residents identified the man as Parent, and he was also known to the sheriff’s department.
When deputies went to Parent’s residence, they found him driving down the road past two patrol vehicles. They stopped his vehicle and took him into custody.
In a search of Parent’s vehicle, deputies allegedly found Yarnell fire clothing, wildland fire pants and a hard hat with a lamp that neighbors described. They also obtained Ring doorbell camera footage that reportedly showed Parent ringing doorbells and announcing “fire department” at different residences.
Watch Ring video below:
Parent allegedly had signs of impairment while being taken into custody and was booked on charges of DUI pending blood alcohol result, impersonating a public servant, criminal nuisance and disorderly conduct.
The sheriff’s department said any evacuation notices will come through official channels or directly from authorities.
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