Man in viral video delivering racist diatribe after crash identified as Northern California firefighter
A man seen in a viral video berating a driver with racist language following a crash in California's Central Valley has been identified as a firefighter with the Alameda County Fire Department which has placed the firefighter on leave.
The crash happened on Friday morning on Highway 99 between Armstrong Road and Harney Lane in Lodi, the driver who shot the video told CBS News Sacramento. The video shot from inside Vath Touch's car shows another man approaching Touch's driver-side window to argue about who was at fault.
During the argument, Touch says to the man "The cops are coming," to which the man replies, "Oh the cops are definitely coming, dumb-ass Mexican ... or whatever the f--- you are Filipino."
The man later tells Touch, "I hope you have insurance, I doubt that you do ... you're probably going to work some lawn job."
Touch says: "Don't be racist, bro. Don't be racist."
The man responded by saying, "I'm not a f------ racist. I'm a f------ firefighter," while pointing to a Stockton Fire Department logo on his T-shirt. The man also tells Touch to go back to "your $10 an hour job, bitch."
As the argument continues and the man gets closer to Touch's face, Touch tells him, "Don't spit on me," to which the man replies, "I'll spit on you all f------ day." As Touch holds up his hand in front of him, the man slaps Touch's hand, saying, "Get your hand out of my f------ face."
Fire departments respond to viral video
On Sunday evening after the video went viral, Stockton firefighters' union social media account posted a statement saying "Just to be clear, this is not a Stockton California firefighter. We don't know who this is, but it is absolutely not one of our people."
Later Sunday evening, the Alameda County Fire Department acknowledged the video "involved one of our members in a verbal interaction with a community member."
Alameda County Fire Department Media Release August 25, 2024 The Alameda County Fire Department (ACFD) is responding...
Posted by Alameda County Fire Department on Sunday, August 25, 2024
"It has come to our attention that some language was used during this interaction that does not align with the values and standards we uphold as an organization," said a post on Facebook.
Alameda County Fire Chief William McDonald released a statement saying, "Our department is committed to gathering all the facts and we are addressing this situation in a manner that reflects our dedication to integrity, professionalism, and community trust. Our goal is to ensure that we continue to serve our community with the highest level of respect, both on and off duty."
CBS News Sacramento visited the Rocklin home, which was believed to belong to the firefighter, on Monday. He declined the invitation for an interview but did not deny he was the man in the video.
"I'm very sorry. That's not me," he told CBS News Sacramento. "I had a bad day. That doesn't represent my family."
Firefighter faces discipline; incident investigated
At a news conference Monday morning McDonald said the unidentified firefighter in question, who was off-duty at the time of the incident, was placed on paid administrative leave while the incident was being investigated.
McDonald also said the investigation would involve a critical look at the department's training, guidance, and organizational culture.
"We're taking immediate steps to improve relationships with our community, including enhanced sensitivity training for all members of the department, said McDonald. "Additionally we are implementing mechanisms to measure our progress and foster a more inclusive and respectful environment."
He added, "I can't say enough; the actions of this individual do not reflect the values of this department. We value community and relationships and we understand our strength lies in the community."
The Bay Area chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations on Monday issued a statement condemning the racist tirade.
"We are deeply disturbed by the overt racism exhibited in this video," said CAIR-SFBA Executive Director Zahra Billoo. "The firefighter's statements are not only reprehensible but also indicative of a broader issue of unchecked bias within public service roles."