San Diego firefighters get probation for off-duty brawl
Three San Diego firefighters were given probation Monday, and each sentenced to 100 hours of community service and a $655 fine after pleading guilty to misdemeanor battery charges from an off-duty brawl outside a bar in 2012.
The three--Capt. Vadid Cisneros, 40; Gregory Econie, 29; and Andrew Brennan, 33 - remain with the Fire & Rescue Department.
They had initially been charged with felony assault and witness tampering stemming from late-night fights outside the Ould Sod Bar in the Normal Heights neighborhood.
On the night of Feb. 26, the firefighters got into a scuffle with a man after one of the firefighters made a derogatory remark, according to prosecutors.
Minutes later, the man and his brother -- both in their mid-40s -- confronted the firefighters and a second fight ensued.
One of the brothers reported being hit in the head with a rock. The firefighters allegedly took wallets from the two, and Brennan allegedly warned the two not to report the incident to police.
Defense attorneys argued that the brothers were aggressors in the fight. Superior Court Judge Michael Smyth accepted the guilty pleas to resolve the case.
Twitter:@LATsandiego
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
