Skip to content


Flashlight throwing former VT chief has bigger problems. Joseph Hayes & wife accused of embezzlement involving Bennington Rural FD raffle.

2 comments

Click here to follow STATter911.com on Facebook (hit “like”)

Last July we told you an interesting story about Bennington Rural Fire Department Chief Joseph Hayes, who was criminally charged after throwing a flashlight at a motorist who didn’t slow down at an emergency scene. In January, Hayes entered a guilty plea on a disorderly conduct charge saying he wanted to get this all behind him. On probation in that case, Hayes, who lost reelection last month but is still a department official, now has something new that he will want to get behind him. Joseph Hayes is accused of embezzlement and false pretenses surrounding a fire department raffle. In addition, Hayes’ wife Angela has been charged with accessory on the false pretenses charge.

Neil P. Goswami of thee Bennington Banner reports the embezzlement charge is a familiar one for the former chief:

“This all stems from a raffle at the Bennington Rural Fire Department while he was the chief where, allegedly, people who won prizes as a result of the raffle never received them. There is an allegation that money that people paid for raffle tickets was never turned over to the department,” (Bennington Police Chief Paul) Doucette said.

Hayes also faced an embezzlement charge in 2007, but was referred to the court diversion program.

Do you want to sell a rig? Click HERE to find out how with SellFireTrucks.com.

Virginia’s Middleburg VFD says treasurer & radio personality who committed suicide embezzled a half million dollars from department. Criminal investigation ongoing.

24 comments

From Middleburg VFD website

Click here to follow STATter911.com on Facebook (hit “like”)

Leesburg Today reports that at a press conference this evening in Middleburg, Virginia it was disclosed that a criminal investigation, still ongoing, has determined that close to $500,000 in funds are missing from the Middleburg Volunteer Fire Department. According to the paper’s website, a statement from attorney Ed MacMahon Jr. indicates the money was embezzled over the last three years by Paul Draisey the department’s treasurer. MacMahon is representing the fire department. Draisey committed suicide on April 16. Draisey was also a long time radio personality in Loudoun County.

The money lost includes donations and funds from both the Town of Middleburg and Loudoun County.

From Leesburg Today’s Erika Jacobson Moore:

The county government will be conducting an audit of the fire department. The results of that audit will be made public at the “first available date,”  MacMahon said, but he added there is no indication when that would be.

The board of the volunteer company is hopeful that it can recoup “some, if not all, of these losses” through insurance policies that were already in place, MacMahon said.

Do you want to sell a rig? Click HERE to find out how with SellFireTrucks.com.