A local firefighter, admired among his peers for his kindness and dedication, was killed in car accident Tuesday in Cancun, Mexico, along with his wife, father and stepmother.
Paul Hoover, a Fort Smith firefighter who served with Fire Station No. 1, and his wife, Maureen, were traveling in a rental car with Paul's father and stepmother, Steve and Sharon Hoover, when another vehicle crossed the highway median and collided with them, according to several friends of the family. Paul and his family members died at the scene.
The Mexican man who caused the crash was identified as Mario Diaz Polo by the Mexican newspaper Novedades de Quintana Roo. The suspect was arrested by Mexican police for driving recklessly at high speed, said Judith Bryan, a spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City.
The accident, Bryan said, occurred on a highway between Playa del Carmen and Tulum in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo. Much of that highway consists of two lanes with a divided grassy space in the middle.
For members of the Fort Smith Fire Department, Paul Hoover's death is the shocking loss of a dedicated public servant and a kind friend.
"He had a lot of concern for the public and the department itself," Fire Chief Jerry Tomlin said. "He was an all-around excellent firefighter and city employee."
Hoover, a ladder truck driver in his early 30s, began his career with the Fort Smith Fire Department in 2001, Tomlin said.
Tomlin remembered Hoover as being steadfast in his dedication to the job, remarking that Hoover never missed work and was always ready to respond to the dire situations that require the help of firefighters.
Hoover was also revered by his colleagues for his downright decency, according to Battalion Chief Bill Fant.
"I think Paul was one of the finest men you could meet," Fant said. "He was kind and treated everyone with respect."
Hoover had developed close bonds with his fellow firefighters, Fant said.
"There were a lot of guys who were close to him," Fant said. "He was easy to get close to."
Hoover consistently extended his kindness to the people he assisted when responding to fires and accidents, Fant said.
"Paul would do anything for the citizens of Fort Smith," he said. "He'd always try to treat people with respect."
Maureen Hoover worked for the University of Arkansas, where she directed Upward Bound, one of eight pre-college programs offered to children with collegiate aspirations.
"She was all things to all people," said Joe Seabrooks, assistant vice chancellor for student affairs. "She was a phenomenal professional and just a great person."
The Hoovers were on their third vacation to the Yucatan Peninsula when the fatal accident occurred. The couple had no children, according to Fant.
Although firefighters prepare themselves for the dangers that come with their profession, they were not prepared for the death of their friend.
"It's hard to deal with," Tomlin said. "We know the job's dangerous, but you don't expect something like this."
The Morning News contributed to this report.
Republished with permission from The Times Record
