New York Trooper/Firefighter Investigated For Prank Calls

Oct. 27, 2004
State police internal affairs investigators are looking into alleged involvement with prank 911 calls made from the Eagle-Matt Lee firehouse in Ballston Spa.
Ballston Spa, NY -- State police internal affairs investigators are looking into Trooper Matt Wilski's alleged involvement with prank 911 calls made from the Eagle-Matt Lee firehouse in Ballston Spa in the early morning hours of Oct. 16.

Wilski, a trooper since 1998, and two fellow volunteer firefighters -- Dan Jurcsak, who also works as a part-time village 911 dispatcher, and Charles Travis -- are also accused of drinking at the firehouse on Washington Street after setting up for a Halloween party.

When a village police officer arrived to investigate the prank calls, the men are accused of driving the police car back to the police station and leaving it with its lights flashing.

Making fake calls to emergency 911 is considered falsely reporting an incident, a misdemeanor, under the state's criminal code. Mayor John Romano said no one has been charged although village police are continuing their own investigation.

Ballston Spa Police Chief Charles Koenig and fire Chief Dick Duffy both declined to return calls for comment Tuesday.

State police Sgt. Jack Keller, a spokesman based in Albany, said internal affairs investigators planned to interview everyone involved this week. Keller declined to comment what, if any, punishments Wilski might be facing.

Romano said he hopes the village probe is closed within the week, too.

"I don't think there is another knot that could go in my stomach," Romano said. "We've worked so hard to have a good community. We have a wonderful fire department and I hope people don't think this is indicative of our fire department."

Village police said that Koenig met Tuesday with Romano and separately with the state police.

Romano said there is no evidence that the prank 911 call made it difficult for real emergency 911 calls to get through.

Saratoga County Undersheriff Michael Woodcock said Tuesday that while he isn't involved in the investigation, he has seen no evidence that there were problems with 911 dispatching that night.

All three firefighters have been suspended from the volunteer department for 60 days.

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