FOUNTAIN, Colo. — In January, News 5 Investigates learned Fountain Fire Chief James Maxon was placed on administrative leave, pending the outcome of an investigation.
Monday, News 5 learned Maxon has been terminated, pending an appeal. Battalion Chief Ryan Torres has been appointed interim chief.
Details surrounding Maxon's departure are unknown and a January 2022 records request seeking additional information was denied by city staff.
The City of Fountain released the following statement regarding his separation from the department.
Although we do not share details about personnel issues, we can confirm that James Maxon is no longer employed by the City of Fountain as of Friday, February 11, 2022. We are grateful for the accomplishments of Chief Maxon during his tenure here and wish him the best in his future endeavors.
Court records from January 2022 show Maxon filed a civil lawsuit against Torres as well as Tyler Lowe, a firefighter/EMT, and Nathan Mascarenas, a former captain with FFD.
You can read the lawsuit in its entirety here.
FAQ'S and Transparency report:
Q: When was Maxon placed on leave?
A: December 13, 2021
Q: When was Battalion Chief Ryan Torres appointed as interim chief?
A: December 14, 2021
Q: What type of leave was Maxon placed on?
A: City Manager Scott Trainor says Maxon was placed on "temporary administrative leave".
Q: What type of open records request did you (KOAA) file to obtain information related to Maxon's leave status?
A: On January 12, News 5 filed a CORA request seeking "any letter or email sent by the City of Fountain notifying Chief Maxon of his leave status" and "any letter or email notifying city council of Maxon's leave status." Both requests were denied.
