A chief officer with the Bronson Fire Department got an unexpected greeting on the fireground Tuesday afternoon in Matteson Township, MI. Twenty-eight-year-old Aaron Van Vorst has been charged with assaulting 72-year-old Assistant Chief Ken Stutzman.

According to Don Reid at The Daily Reporter, the call came in at 12:24 p.m. for a report of a house fire at the Van Vorst family farm. Chief Stutzman was the first to arrive eight minutes later. A dog and a deer were trapped in the house. Van Vorst had tried unsuccessfully to reach them.

James Hedgcock, a Consumers Energy linemen nearby, said he witnessed Van Vorst try to pull Stutzman, 72, from his vehicle but a seat belt prevented it. Van Vorst was yelling at the assistant chief because he did not believe firefighters arrived soon enough or were acting quickly.

As Stutzman exited the car to put on his turn-out gear, Van Vorst came up to him and kicked him in the stomach. Van Vorst then attacked the line man who came to Stutzman’s aid.

The first trucks arrived shortly after Stutzman — 13 minutes after they were dispatched.

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