Charges dropped against Brevard County firefighter

FHP wants apology for way he acted

ORLANDO, Fla. – Prosecutors have decided not to pursue the case of a Brevard County firefighter accused of resisting arrest and leaving the scene of an accident, according to court documents.

Justin Serrecchia, 35, was arrested by Florida Highway Patrol troopers in March after they say he left the scene of an accident and then tried to bite one of the troopers as he was placed into custody.

[RELATED: Dashcam video shows arrest of firefighter accused in hit-and-run]

Video obtained by News 6 showed Serrecchia using profanity and threatening a female trooper when she tried to arrest him.

On Wednesday, Serrecchia's attorney, Alfredo Zamora, told News 6 he argued in court that Serrecchia did not leave the scene of an accident. He argued that Orange County sheriff's deputies allowed him to leave the scene of the crash in which he was involved.

Because of that, Zamora argued, Serrecchia's arrest should have never happened. He told News 6 that prosecutors agreed, and they dropped the charges.

Serrecchia told News 6 he was relieved the charges were gone, but FHP troopers said the way he treated them needs to be addressed.

"FHP is very disappointed that the charges in this case have been dropped," wrote FHP spokesmwoman Kim Montes. "Troopers put their lives on the line every day. For another first responder to put these troopers at risk is disappointing. At minimum, this firefighter owes these troopers an apology for the way he treated them."

Serrecchia's attorney said he stood in the way of any apology happening before the case was remedied. He said he anticipates Serrecchia reaching out to the trooper to apologize.


About the Author:

Erik Sandoval joined the News 6 team as a reporter in May 2013 and became an Investigator in 2020. During his time at News 6, Erik has covered several major stories, including the 2016 Presidential campaign. He was also one of the first reporters live on the air at the Pulse Nightclub shooting.