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PA DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF ASSAULTED AT HORSE RESCUE SCENE

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A Tilden Township horse farm owner was cited for shoving a firefighter who responded with his company to help  free a horse that was stuck in its stall, police said Monday.

Joseph Tetz, 75, was given a summary citation for harassment as a result of the incident Wednesday morning at his farm in the 500 block of Mountain View Drive, police said.

According to police:

Tetz called the Berks County 9-1-1 center for help getting a horse off the ground. The animal was stuck in a stall. Volunteers with Hamburg Fire Company responded to see if they could assist.

While calls were being placed with animal response teams, Tetz became agitated as additional members of the fire company arrived. He demanded they leave his property.

About 7:45 a.m., shortly after arriving on scene, Deputy Fire Chief Jarrod Emes approached Tetz to try to calm him. With a wooden fence separating them, Tetz reached over and grabbed Emes’ radio that was strapped to his torso, shoved Emes and told him to get off the property.

All fire company personnel left the property.

Police investigated and consulted with the Berks County district attorney’s office, which recommended the harassment charge.